Worth Fighting For
by laloga
Summary: After the fall of the Republic, Rex struggles to build a life with the woman he loves. Sequel to "The Fighting Kind." Rex/OC
1. Chapter 1

_So here we are, again. _

_First of all, this is a sequel to my story, _The Fighting Kind_, so if you are not familiar with that fic, this one will probably be gibberish to you. _

_If you're familiar with TFK, this will pick up more or less where it left off, but there are many differences between this fic and that one. This is a slow story. Not a boring one, (I hope!), but there is not a lot of the action that there was in its predecessor. Fair warning: there is a goodly amount of _angst_ and _drama_, as well as much _romance_, because that's what I enjoy writing. Overall, this is a story about putting a family together, about love overcoming all obstacles, and about holding on to hope in difficult times. _

"_Legal" mumbo-jumbo: I don't own Star Wars and am not making any money off of this labor of love. I do own my OCs, and if you'd like to use them, please PM me so we can discuss. Many thanks to _LongLiveTheClones _and _Jade_Max_ for looking over this before it went live. :)_

_Lastly, I had a lot of reservations about this story, and at times it was very difficult to write, so any and all feedback is appreciated more than I can really say. _

_Enough of my blathering! Please read and enjoy. :)_

* * *

**Worth Fighting For**

_Save your love through loneliness,_

_Save your love through sorrow. _

_I gave you my only-ness,_

_Give me your tomorrow._

~"If I Were A Carpenter." Lyrics by Tim Hardin; the "inspiring" version sung by Johnny Cash and June Carter.

* * *

**Chapter One**

Above all things, this is a story about love.

Love is not just a feeling, nor is it solely an action. Love is not something that can be quantified and processed, or assimilated like so much intel – no matter how much my husband would wish otherwise.

It makes us stronger, makes us _better_, and it comes in many forms. So many pieces of my past that have been taken from my memory, but when I look upon the faces of those whom I love the most, certainty fills me, pours into me like rain from the sky. My love for them gives me strength to keep going through the darkness and doubt, while their love for me buoys me up, sends me to greater heights than I ever imagined were possible.

In so many ways, I am blessed beyond measure.

But as you can probably guess, it has not always been so; I've been asked to set down my story and so I will – what I remember, anyway. What I cannot remember has been reconstructed to the best of my ability, and anything that I describe which didn't happen in my presence was carefully recorded from the person who was there.

Even though things are vastly more complicated now than they ever were before, I am not afraid any longer. The fear has all but dissipated, replaced with joy, because when I look in the face of my husband and children, I know that I am exactly where I need to be. All of the hardship that brought us to this place doesn't matter quite so much, except to remind me how lucky I am.

* * *

_Three months following the formation of the Empire..._

Late summer on Alderaan was perhaps Brenna's favorite season.

It was the time of year where the ever-present, gusting wind faded to a mild shuffle and the sky was so blue and clear that it hurt to look at it; the halcyon days, so these weeks were called, and she found that it was one of the things about her homeworld that she loved.

"Mama, Rex ride pony?"

Even though she was safe in her mother's arms, Irini sounded concerned, and Brenna had to chuckle at the direction the toddler's finger was pointing. The main paddock in front of the quagga barn currently contained four quagga and six Humans; four mounted, riding in a messy circle around the two who stood at the center.

Jensine and Caith Damaris, Brenna's mother and brother, were attempting to instruct the clones in the basic principles of quagga riding. Rex, Jesse, Kix and Coric – all of whom had found their way to Brenna's mother Jensine's home on Alderaan in the aftermath of the formation of the Empire – were each astride a quagga, and as Brenna watched the determined set of Rex's jaw, she felt her smile widen.

The quagga he was riding gave a snort and a shake of her head, which caused Rex's eyes to narrow even as he bounced ungracefully in the saddle, his body's movements jarring against the rhythmic, light jog of the quagga as it trotted along. He was trying so hard – they all were – but riding was not a skill that could be mastered in a short time, even by a clone trooper with advanced cognitive and learning abilities.

From the center of the paddock, Jensine lifted her voice. "Don't put all of your weight on the stirrups, Rex. Move with your upper legs instead, and remember to keep your heels down. Coric, keep your hands still – don't confuse the poor thing with mixed signals. Jesse: don't plop back on the saddle like a bag of grain...ease yourself down, gently."

"If it helps, count along in your head with the quagga's steps," Caith added. "One, _two_. One, _two_. One, _two_...rise on 'one' and come back down on 'two.' Yes, like that...good job, Kix."

"Goo' job, Kix," Iri echoed, which caused Brenna to chuckle again, though a moment later her daughter twisted around from her place in Brenna's lap. "Iri ride pony?"

Brenna, Iri, Edme and Tavi – Caith's wife and son – were seated on a few old, upturned barrels outside of the paddock, as Brenna had wanted to ensure her daughter would be a safe distance away should any of the quagga become agitated. Not that she was expecting anything of the kind, but Iri's safety was too important to risk. At her daughter's words, Brenna shook her head. "No, sweetheart. You're not big enough, yet."

Iri pouted, but before she could argue, Rex and his mount circled around towards them, and the toddler's attention switched to watching the blond clone seated atop the striped equine. "Rex ride pony!"

As he passed, he shot Brenna and Iri a somewhat pained smile, though Brenna had to laugh when he managed to tilt his hat in their direction. Beside her, Edme chuckled as well. "They're all going to be so sore tomorrow."

Nodding, Brenna's mind immediately went over all the ways she could help alleviate some of the discomfort that Rex would surely be feeling in his lower body, as all beginning riders did; as it was, the sight of him in civilian clothes, astride one of the quagga and looking like he knew what he was doing was...

It was warm outside, but that didn't account for the heat that had suddenly appeared in her face, because she _did_ miss his armor, but this sight about made up for the fact.

"He's not bad," Edme added with a nod to Rex. "Him and Kix...but Jesse looks like he's about to topple over."

The clones hadn't been in the process more than a few weeks, but already it was easy to see that some of them were taking to riding better than others. Rex and Kix seemed to have more of an affinity for the quagga than Coric, but poor Jesse was almost hopeless. Indeed, as Brenna watched, Jesse seemed to lose his balance for a moment and swayed precariously in the saddle, his quagga flicking her ears backward as if irritated.

"Jesse, don't forget to grip with your legs," Jensine called out, but it was too late.

The tattooed clone swore sharply in Mando'a – the language that most of the former soldiers were familiar with to some degree – as he toppled out of the saddle and landed on his backside in the dusty paddock, only a few meters from where Brenna and the others were watching. Immediately, and with varying degrees of difficulty, the other clones managed to slow, then halt their mounts so that their brother wouldn't be trod upon while Caith hurried over to help him to his feet. Wincing, Jesse rubbed at his backside, then began to slap his trousers to remove the worst of the dirt.

"Kriffing, _shabla_ thing," he muttered, looking up at the quagga he'd been riding, who – in a credit to Jensine's training – had not abandoned her rider.

"It's not the quagga's fault, Jess," Rex said as he brought his mount around. "You just lost your balance."

Jesse grabbed at the reins that he'd dropped, which were hanging in the dust. "Yeah, yeah...I know. But I've never fallen off of a speeder, and this seems like it should be less complicated."

At this, Rex glanced towards Jensine, who'd been conducting the training session. "Perhaps we should take a break?"

The wiry, fair-haired woman nodded, though her gaze on the clones was thoughtful, and she said nothing as the rest of the soldiers began to dismount. "Don't be discouraged," Caith said as Jesse gave a heavy sigh. "You all only just started this a little while ago; it took Brenna _months_ to manage not to fall off at the slightest gust of wind."

With this, he shot his younger sister a teasing grin. In return, Brenna stuck her tongue out at him, which made Iri giggle in her lap. Jensine sighed and lifted her eyes to the sky. Beside Brenna, Edme smiled at her husband, who returned the look even as Kix asked him a question about the quagga.

As the others began to speak, Rex looped the reins of his mount around the paddock fence so that she would be secure, then slipped through the wide gap between the wooden slats so that he could reach Brenna and Iri, the former of whom got to her feet to greet him. Now that he was close to her, Brenna could smell warm leather and trace amounts of dust that had clung to his cotton shirt, and she slipped her free arm around his waist to kiss his cheek.

"You're looking good out there," she said as Rex tousled Iri's blonde curls with affection. "Very good."

There was a pause, then he glanced her way with an inquiring look on his face as he indicated Irini. In response, Brenna handed him Iri, watching with unconcealed delight as the man she loved took her daughter in his arms and smiled at the little girl, who beamed up at him like he was the the sun itself. She could tell that he was still a little uncertain about holding Iri, but she appreciated that he was making an effort to get close to her daughter because right now, standing together as they were, it felt like they were a true family.

After giving Brenna the half-smile that made her heart skip a beat, he glanced back at Iri, who was reaching up for the wide brim of his hat. "What do you think, _Ir'ika_? Do I look like I know what I'm doing?"

The toddler giggled at the Mando'a nickname and her honey-brown eyes were wide as she looked up at the former captain who was holding her securely. "Rex ride pony," she said sagely.

"I'm trying, kiddo," he replied with a sigh, tilting his head down enough so she could grab at his hat but not enough for her to pull it off of his head. "It's..."

He trailed off, because in that moment Brenna's comlink began to chirrup with the cadence that indicated a text-only message was incoming. Reaching in her pocket, she pulled out the device and frowned when she saw the source. "It's a message from Marliss and Fives," she said, glancing up at him again. "Mar says she's forwarding you a voice-only transmission...and it's in Mando'a?"

Rex's forehead creased and his expression flickered with curiosity as he nodded. Although Fives and Marliss had enjoyed a brief sojourn on Alderaan with the other clones, it hadn't taken the couple very long to head back for the stars, seeking adventure. While Brenna missed her friend – and she knew that Rex missed his brother, his _vod _– she was pleased that Marliss and Fives had one another. Additionally, the fact that they were traveling meant that they had access to a wider variety of information than could be found on the HoloNet.

At the moment, Brenna wasn't certain if that was such a good thing, though for what reason she couldn't have said exactly.

The comlink chimed again, indicating another message; she reached for Iri, but Rex shook his head and shifted the little girl so she was in one arm, which was when he took the comlink from Brenna with his free hand. Moments later, the voice-only transmission was activated, and Brenna heard the sound of Fives' voice, his normally jovial tone incongruously serious against the beautiful day.

Most of the transmission was in Mando'a, though there were a few words of Basic sprinkled in. As far as she knew, the majority of the clone army had been passing familiar with some of the language, but there were a few clones, like Rex and Fives, who'd taken quite strongly to the Mandalorian language, assimilating it as a part of their heritage and history, since their progenitor, Jango Fett, had been a member of that warrior culture. Brenna didn't know Mando'a, but because Rex did – and because it was a part of Iri's heritage as well – she'd been trying to learn. Now, as she listened to the recording and was only able to catch an odd word here and there, she wished she'd been able to learn faster.

As the message progressed, Rex's expression faded from curious to open-mouthed shock, then a harrowing mixture of anger and confusion. Additionally, the other clones, seeing their brother and former captain listening so intently, had gathered around; within moments their expressions matched Rex's, and Brenna was struck with fear.

"What is it?" she heard herself whisper, but Rex didn't answer. In his arms, Iri appeared to be listening to the message as well, her face confused but attentive.

"_Hibirar...ner vod...akaan'ade..."_

Caith's voice next to her ear nearly made Brenna start. "What's going on, Bren?"

_Learn, _something_...my brother...the army..._

Still trying to pick up what words she could, Brenna shook her head; her throat was dry and her stomach was suddenly in knots. The sunlight that had once been so comforting now felt overly bright and glaring; the endless stretch of blue sky seemed oppressive, and she was filled with an unnamed sense of dread, because now Rex looked...

Frightened, like he'd looked when they'd first met a year ago on Mimban, but more so. Now, he looked like he was being broken from the inside out.

The other clones matched him: Jesse's mouth was open and his brows were raised; Coric's fists were tight at his sides and Kix's eyes were closed as if in mourning.

At Fives' next words, Rex's mouth twisted into a grimace, like he was torn between punching something and collapsing where he stood. _"Jehaatir...ner vod, it was an jehaatir. I'm sorry to have to tell you this, Rex."_

Brenna was vaguely aware that Jensine, Edme and Tavi had come to stand around her, all of them watching the unfolding drama before them with no knowledge or understanding of what was going on. Just when she didn't know how much more she could take, the transmission ended and the group was left in silence.

Eyes fixed on the comlink in his hand, Rex's face had gone completely blank, which frightened her more than any of his other expressions, because she couldn't read this one, couldn't get a sense of what he was thinking. Brenna opened her mouth to ask – again – but her daughter, who was still in Rex's arm, beat her to the punch.

"Why Rex sad?"

He blinked once, then looked at the little girl in his grasp as if seeing her for the first time. Brenna stepped forward, reaching for him because she had to do _something_. "Rex...what is it? What did Fives say?"

She embraced him and her daughter, but he held still and his entire body was tense. The comlink fell out of his hand into the dirt and his eyes were open but unseeing. "A lie," his said in a hoarse voice that wasn't his. "_Jehaatir_. It was a lie."

Her entire family, new and old, was all around her, but Brenna only had eyes for Rex, who even now was passing Iri back to her with trembling hands, as though he weren't sure he'd be able to support the child's weight. Brenna swallowed and hugged Iri to her chest. "What was a lie, Rex?"

When his eyes finally met hers, they were shadowed. Haunted. "Everything."

* * *

_Welcome to the new story! Thanks for reading. :)  
_

_Next time: dealing with the fallout.  
_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

_Approximately three months later..._

As he leaned back in his saddle to halt his mount's progress, Rex took a moment to watch the sunrise.

The mountains that surrounded his home rose above a patchwork array of greens and golds, a seemingly endless stretch of pasture that filled this section of Alderaan; he could see that the basalt-gray peaks were covered with a dusting of snow, evidence that the summer had truly faded and autumn was well on its way. As if to verify the knowledge, a cool slip of wind snickered beneath his coat and set the hairs on his arms to standing at attention.

But the chill was nothing he couldn't handle, especially when it was outdone by the majesty of the sky above his head. Threads of crimson, pink and gold had already begun to find their way across the wisps of upper-level clouds that had remained in the sky, itself a lightening indigo that was still peppered with the occasional star. Rex knew that, were he to dawdle on this hill much longer, the mountains and valley below him would be gilded by the light of the sunrise, sharpening the entire stretch of land to such a great degree that it seemed surreal.

Sometimes he found it difficult to believe that this _was_ his reality, that it wasn't a dream. He inhaled; the air was brisk and clean, so far from the stale kind that he'd grown used to while on the _Resolute. _The warm scent of leather and animal met him, and he could also tell that someone – perhaps one of the neighbors – had a fire going in the distance; Brenna had said that it wasn't quite cold enough to warrant using the fireplace of their homestead to supplement the heaters, but Rex thought he would enjoy it when the time came.

Beneath him, his mount gave a soft whicker; Rex glanced down at the quagga's striped, stiff mane and reached out to pat the creature, feeling the muscles of her neck tense under his gloves. The quagga stomped one of her feet, as if reminding him that they had a job to do, and he gave a chuckle. "Alright, Nova," he said as he turned away from the vista. "We're going, girl."

Rather than use the reins to guide her, he shifted his body weight and nudged the quagga's right side with his heel; moments later he felt a small flicker of satisfaction when she began to move in the direction he'd indicated, and they resumed walking along the fence-line of the far pasture.

It was quiet now, but Rex's attention had shifted from appreciating the view to the task at hand. The fences that ran across this section of the Damaris' land were in constant need of repair, and despite the fact that he and his brothers were trying to upgrade the entire length to an energy-fence, the portions that were still old-style metal needed to be checked for damages almost daily. Like much of the work out here it wasn't a difficult job – especially when compared to planning and executing a battle – but it was time-consuming.

There were a few speeders on the property, but Rex found that he preferred to ride Nova while on this type of mission; the quagga allowed him to take the appropriate pace necessary to get a good look at each section of fence. A speeder would be much too fast, even at a low velocity.

Additionally, Rex enjoyed riding. He'd always preferred working with living creatures while in the army, as rare an opportunity as it seemed to be, and among all of his brothers, he and Kix had taken to riding the quagga better than Coric or Jesse. It helped that Brenna also seemed to enjoy the sight of Rex on one of the creatures, though he couldn't for the life of him have said just why.

When he wasn't with Bren, Rex preferred quiet moments like these, where it was just himself, Nova, and the sky. The only thing that would have made it better was if Brenna and her daughter Irini were with him, but the child was still – in Brenna's opinion – too young to learn how to ride, and in any case they weren't at the ranch right now, having gone on an overnight trip with Kix and Brenna's mother into the nearby town of Belleau-a-Lir to sell a few quagga at the monthly auction.

As much as he was loathe to be apart from the woman he loved, Rex knew that Bren had a number of other reasons for the trip, and he looked forward to seeing her again later this afternoon, when she, Iri and Jensine were supposed to return.

There was also a flare of worry at the thought of what news she'd bring back with her from Belleau-a-Lir, but he tried to push it aside. Speculation, as he knew, was pointless until one had all the facts.

Besides, he had a job to do right now.

Glancing down, Rex frowned at a segment of fence where the wire had come undone from the post, leaving a significant gap. With a fluid motion he dismounted, hooked Nova's reins over another post, and set about the repairs. It was a simple matter to reattach the eyelet that connected the wire to the post itself, and after a few tugs to ensure that it was now secure, Rex was satisfied. As he made to gather up the reins, a tuft of pale wool caught between the twining wires of the fence caught his eye, and he looked up and around, searching.

About three months after Rex and his brothers had found their way to Alderaan, Jensine and her son Caith had invested in several dozen head of vilpacas, long-necked, temperamental creatures raised for their wool; while Rex supposed they were lucrative enough stock, the damn things were too smart for their own good, and were prone to escaping their pasture close to the house, which was what he supposed had happened now.

As if sensing his shift in attention, Nova lifted her head as well and her nostrils flared as she scented the wind. To get a better view of their surroundings, Rex slid his foot into the metal stirrup of his saddle and swung his body atop the quagga. Absently, he patted her neck, then drew a folding pair of electrobinoculars out of his jacket pocket and scanned the area once more.

As he did so, he lifted his wrist-comm, one that Bren had modified for the clones to use while on the ranch itself. "Jess?"

There was a riff of static, then he heard his brother's reply. _"What's up, Rex?"_

"Are you near the villie pasture? I think we've got a escapee out here." As he spoke, Rex twisted in his saddle and scanned the surrounding hills, searching for the tell-tale, wooly form of the wayward vilpaca. "Do a head count, if you can."

Another pause, then Jesse spoke again in a chiding voice that reminded Rex that none of them were in the army any longer. Of all his brothers, Jesse had best taken to the lack of command-structure that had served them all so well in the past, and while the tattooed clone was never disrespectful, there were times when Rex wished for a simple "Sir! Yessir!"

Like right now. _"Didn't you say that none of us are supposed to go out to the far pasture alone?"_

Rex sighed and squinted through the electrobinoculars again, nudging the brim of his hat out of the way to get a better look through the device. "Jess-"

"_Hang on a sec,"_ Jesse broke in. _"Coric says yes, we're missing a villie. Damn things. I'll come find you and we can look together. Protocol, right?"_

Before Rex could argue, the link was cut and he was left in silence. For a moment he frowned at the device, then he shook his head and continued to survey the area, still searching for the vilpaca. After a few minutes he nudged Nova into a walk again and began alternating his attention between the fence-line and the view through the electros as he searched.

Finally, about five minutes later, he spied a villie-sized clump of pale wool in the distance, at the bottom of a nearby gully. The fact that the clump was unmoving was far from reassuring, so Rex slipped the electros back into his jacket and urged his mount forward into a brisk canter. Within a few moments he and Nova reached the body of the vilpaca and he frowned at the sight.

Something – perhaps a mountain anooba – had found the creature first; there wasn't much left of the villie besides its wool. Beneath him, Nova made a low noise of worry and shifted her feet, ears pricked forward as if she'd caught the scent of the predator, so Rex reached for the blaster rifle that was slung in a special holster affixed to the saddle, just in case whatever had killed the vilpaca was nearby. While the mountain anoobas were nocturnal and solitary – unlike their Tatooine cousins – Rex knew better than to let his guard down, and he trusted Nova's nose far more than his own senses. Aside from the anoobas, he'd seen cath hounds and the occasional bolraida out here, but the predators mainly kept to the outskirts of the Damaris' property.

But there was no sign of anoobas or any other sort of predator, so after a few minutes, Rex sheathed the weapon and raised his comm again. "Jess, what's your location?"

"_I'm about half a klick away from your signal," _his brother replied, voice slightly muffled by the whine of an engine. _"Everything okay?"_

Rex exhaled and blinked up at the sky, which was growing lighter with each passing moment. "I found the villie – or what's left of it."

"_Kriffing anoobas again?"_

"I think so," Rex replied, twisting around in his saddle to see if he could spy the other clone's approach. _There_. If he squinted, he could make out the shape of a speeder-bike as it raced toward himself and Nova, who lifted her head as the vehicle's buzzing became evident. "I found a breach in the fence earlier as well; I suppose that's how it got in."

There was a pause, then he heard Jesse sigh into the comlink._ "I see you. Stand by."_

Jesse pulled up on the bike within a few moments, slowing the vehicle as he approached Rex and Nova. Rex had dismounted and wrapped Nova's reins around a stake that he carried, which he then he slipped into the ground – a handy trick when there was no fence or tree nearby and the quagga was not yet fully-trained – and was currently examining the dead vilpaca.

Like Rex, Jesse was dressed in a warm pair of trousers, a thick jacket that fell past his hips and sturdy boots; however, he wore a knitted hat over his head, which concealed most of his tattoo, while Rex favored one of the more wide-brimmed variety that kept the sun out of his eyes. There were times where Rex missed the information that the HUD in his bucket had provided – not to mention the comforting feel of armor on his skull – but there was no use crying over spilled bluemilk, as the saying went, and the hat was practical enough to suit his needs.

"It was an anooba," Rex said by way of greeting as his brother approached. "A big one. See the tracks and the pattern of the bite-marks? It's a relatively fresh kill, too, so I suppose it must have happened during the night."

"Kriffing things," Jesse replied, grimacing. "We need to get those perimeter fences energized already. That'll put a stop to this."

Rex nodded, then gestured to the area from which he'd arrived. "Only one section was damaged, but I hadn't been looking too long. I think we need to check every day, instead of a few times each week." Jesse opened his mouth to object, but Rex beat him to the punch. "Jess, you know as well as I do that energy fences aren't cheap. It'll take time before we can have the whole property outfitted like it needs to be."

"I know," Jesse said with a sigh. "But it's...frustrating, isn't it? In the past, if we needed something done...we could just do it. We didn't have to wait for any reason, especially not a lack of money."

"Not always," Rex replied. "There was plenty of procedure and red-tape in the army. But I know what you mean."

He did, too. Money had never been something that Rex or any of his brothers had to think about while in the GAR, but they'd gotten quite a wake-up call not long into their time as free citizens. However, he knew that he and the others were lucky; they'd been staying with Brenna and her family who'd been kind enough to share what they did have with the former soldiers, who in turn had taken to working on Jensine Damaris' ranch to help out where they could. It was a good system to his way of thinking; the clones did much of the labor around the ranch, which bolstered the profits of the place by a significant amount, and in return Rex and his brothers had a place to stay and food to eat.

Additionally, Jensine insisted on paying them each a salary. And although it wasn't a lot of money, Rex had never felt pleased in quite the same way as he had when he'd earned the first wages of his life. While he knew that Bren had her own money from her time with the GAR, he was glad to be able to contribute in some way, and had decided to save as much of his wages as he could for Brenna and Iri's future.

Their future. His future too...however much of it there might be.

Rex pushed away the thought that had started to twist his gut a little more each time it crossed his mind; he turned his focus back to the dead vilpaca and his brother. "We should try to salvage the wool if we can," he said, nodding to the creature. "No use letting it go to waste."

Jesse nodded in agreement, then thumbed in the direction of his speeder-bike. "That's what took me so long to get out here, actually. When you said you thought one of the villies was missing, I remembered what we did the last time this happened, so I went back and got the clippers. Just in case."

"Good thinking," Rex replied, pleased; once Jesse retrieved the clippers from the vehicle, the two of them bent over the lifeless vilpaca and began to shear off the valuable wool by the light of the sun as it began its ascent into the clearing sky. For a few minutes they worked in silence. Rex slid the buzzing clippers across the hide of the creature in as even a pattern as possible while Jess collected the wool and secured it in a canvas bag he'd brought along.

After a little bit, Jesse cast him a careful look, then pitched his voice to rise just above the noise of the clippers. "So...you came out here alone. Again."

Rex said nothing as he guided the clippers along. Along with the increasing light, the wind had picked up, and he had to move slowly to ensure that Jess could collect all the wool before it was carried off by the breeze. Finally he shot his brother a glance. "It needed to be done, and the rest of you were busy."

Jesse grabbed at the next patch of pale wool. "You were the one who said we shouldn't travel alone, remember?"

"I know what I said," Rex replied, narrowing his eyes at the pale wool as it fell away from the clippers. "But that was a while ago, Jess. I think we all know the ropes out here by now."

"Maybe," the tattooed clone said with a shrug. "It's still strange though, isn't it? I mean...no drills, no bridge rotations, no battles..."

Despite himself, Rex had to smile at this. "You miss the clankers?"

"Yeah, something fierce," Jesse chortled. "What I wouldn't give to hear a tinny's melodious voice again." They shared a quiet laugh, then Rex's brother spoke again, his voice thoughtful. "But it is strange to live like this. It's good, I mean, but it's...I dunno."

They'd collected all the wool they were going to, so Rex turned off the clippers; as he slipped them back into their case, his hands felt like they were still vibrating from their movement. "Strange. Yeah, it is, sometimes."

"But at least you have your girl, and her little girl," Jesse added as they stood up. "You're lucky like that."

He _was _lucky. Force, he knew he was. Never in all his days had Rex imagined that his life could have turned out this way: living with the woman he loved, her daughter and the rest of her family on one of the most beautiful planets he'd ever set foot upon. While in the GAR, when he and Brenna were starting to get serious, he'd dreamed of being able to go to sleep beside her each night and wake up beside her each morning; now he was able to, and quite frankly there was nothing better.

But the rest of his life in the interim had not been as easy, or as pleasant. So much had changed in such a short span of time, that often he felt like he was still floundering. Rex inhaled the scent of grass and Alderaani wind, then cast his brother a look. "I'm going to keep checking the fence-line," he said at last, handing the other clone the clippers' case. "Can you get this wool back to the shearing shed?"

"Sure thing," Jesse replied, tucking the sack with the wool and the case beneath his arm. "Or I can – you know – stay out here with you. Like we're supposed to. Especially if there's an anooba running around."

Rex shook his head. "I'm fine."

"You know, Fives would say that you're isolating yourself. He would say that you're sulking."

"Fives says a lot of things," Rex said with an exhale. "But he's not here right now."

While Rex, Jesse, Kix and Coric had chosen to remain on Alderaan with the Damaris family, Fives' preferences were a bit more...adventurous. He and Marliss Menin – Brenna's former roommate from when they both worked on the _Resolute_ – had taken to traveling the galaxy together. As Rex had learned how to ride a quagga and tend to stock, Fives had turned his attention to piloting the ship that Marliss had acquired, while the blonde woman herself knew enough mechanic's tricks able to keep the vessel from being spotted by any unfriendlies during their travels.

While Rex did miss his gregarious brother, he liked having a "link" of a sort to the outside world; Brenna and her family had the HoloNet for general galactic news, but Fives and Marliss were the source for news that was very specific, if not always pleasant.

Something inside Rex threatened to crack open with this thought, but he shoved the feeling aside. Dwelling on such a thing was useless, and he had far too much to do to think about it, anyway, because if he _did _think about it, if he dwelt on the fact that his life, his brothers' lives – indeed, their very _existence – _had all been set into motion simply to serve the whim of a power-hungry Sith Lord...

With a shake of his head, Rex cut off the train of thought again, instead turning his mind to Brenna, who'd helped him work through the initial feelings of helplessness after he'd first learned the horrific news. Even with her and her family's support, there had been many difficult days. However, Rex found that living and working on the ranch, where there was _always _something to do, had helped himself and his brothers deal with the large-scale implications of Fives' news.

Umbara had shown all of them that their lives were not what they'd been told, that the clones as a whole were able to be used as pawns in a larger game if they didn't ask questions. Later, towards the end of the Wars, the presence of a new kind of clone – grown, decanted and trained within only a year – was proof enough to Rex that the Republic he'd once fought for regarded its loyal soldiers as little more than expendable drones. The Spaarti clones' strength was – according to every report that Rex had read – purely in their extensive numbers. More so than any Kamino clones had been, these clones were as close to flesh-droids as they could be, and even Rex had to admit that they were inferior in many ways, though he attributed that to the harried nature of their growth and training.

Anyway, life was different, now. Better. Rex had someone he loved, someone who loved him, and usually it was very easy to go to sleep each night, especially if he was too tired to think. But he couldn't shut off his brain, and nor did he want to, because he had a _lot_ to think about.

Rex loved Brenna, loved the shape his life had taken, but he was aware that he had too many questions to be truly content, and the peacefulness he'd felt earlier this morning had all but slipped away from his already tentative grasp.

Taking another deep breath before he spoke, because Jesse's eyes were on him and his brother looked like he was going to ask Rex another question. "I'm not isolating myself, Jess," he said after a moment. "I just...like it out here. I'll head back after another few hours. How's the windmill coming?"

There was a beat while the tattooed clone studied him, giving Rex the impression that Jesse wanted to say a good deal more than he was, but eventually the other man shrugged and turned to head back to his speeder. "Wind_-pump_. And it's trying to give us all kinds of hell, but we'll have it at one-hundred percent, soon."

Among the many tasks the clones had taken up in their quest to improve Jensine Damaris' ranch, the upgrading of the wind-powered water pump was proving to be one of the most difficult; being the most mechanically inclined, Jesse had taken the lead on that project, the others helping out when they could. While it pleased Rex that his brothers could offer _something_ back to the ones who'd helped them out such a great deal, Jesse's words had again served to remind him just how different things were for all of them now.

As he watched his brother speed off across the rolling grass, he felt the same feeling of helplessness that had followed him like a shade these past months coil around his heart once more.

There was no GAR. There was no Republic. Everything he'd once fought for, worked for, _lived _for, had been a lie, and there were some days where he felt like he had nothing of himself left, certainly nothing he could give to another person.

Certainly nothing that would allow him to be a father.

_No,_ he told himself as he retrieved the stake that held Nova's reins, then mounted the quagga's saddle once more. _It's useless to dwell on the past. What matters is the future that you're making now, for yourself and for _them.

But that word, _future_, held no pleasure for him, either. No matter how he looked at it, Brenna and her daughter deserved more than he could offer, and while the brown-haired woman he loved had told him – many times – that she would love him no matter how long he lived, Rex could not shake the feeling of failure, not so much for Brenna, who understood the nature of his genetically-shortened life, but for her daughter.

For Iri.

Of all the tasks he'd ever imagined himself taking on, 'father' was turning out to be the hardest and most complicated role he'd ever imagined, and Rex was aware that he'd only skimmed the surface.

Without looking back at the dead vilpaca, Rex nudged Nova into a brisk trot and made his way for the fence-line once more.

* * *

_This was originally the first chapter, but I felt that we needed to see Rex actually getting the news, as well as be able to compare/contrast (a bit) how he acted before with how he's acting, now. _

_Thanks for reading!  
_

_Next time: Bren, Iri...and wedding rings. ;)_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

_Meanwhile, in the town of Belleau-a-Lir..._

"See, Iri? That wasn't so bad." Brenna Damaris gave her daughter a comforting smile as the Nautolan physician smoothed a bright-purple bandage across the toddler's upper-arm over the site of the hypospray injection. In response, the toddler cast a dubious look at her arm, then turned her face to Dr. Tai Bores, who echoed Brenna's smile.

"Your mother's right," the green-skinned pediatrician added as she reached into her coat-pocket and pulled out a sucker, which she unwrapped, then handed to the little girl. "You did very well, Irini. Thank you for being such a wonderful patient."

As Iri began to suck on the candy, Brenna glanced at the elderly Nautolan, who'd treated her when she was just a child as well. She actually remembered sitting in this very room as a girl, surrounded by the same, brightly colored walls and getting treats out of Dr. Bores' coat-pocket. "Have you gotten the results from her blood-work?"

Since trips to Belleau-a-Lir were often time consuming, Brenna and Iri had dropped by the previous day right after they'd arrived into town, in order to have a small blood-sample taken from the little girl. Iri had _not_ been such a "wonderful patient" for _that_, but thankfully seemed to have forgotten the incident by now. In any case, Brenna was anxious for the results.

Dr. Bores flashed her a wide smile and then reached for her datapad to check Iri's chart; once the results were in, they were automatically uploaded, so that all the physician had to do was look. "She's doing beautifully, Brenna," the doctor said after a moment as she scanned the 'pad. "Perfectly healthy and growing like a proverbial weed."

Relieved, Brenna smoothed back a few errant strands of Iri's blonde hair. "She is, isn't she?"

"That's what children do," Dr. Bores replied with another smile. "But Irini's as healthy as she can be, so you have nothing to worry about."

"She's fine?" Brenna asked, trying to keep her voice light. "So there's nothing...abnormal about her?"

Narrowing slightly in concern, the wide, black eyes of the physician held hers. "Are you concerned about something in particular?"

Brenna shouldn't have been; there had been no signs of rapid-aging in the little girl despite the fact that her father was a clone trooper. However, Iri was...gifted in some ways that Brenna suspected were due to Tucker's – Iri's father's – genetically-enhanced memory and learning capabilities. At two-and-a-half years, Iri was a rather talented artist – albeit of the messy, finger-painting variety – and she could already recognize and say a good number of words, more so than most children her age.

Before Rex, Brenna hadn't thought much about such a thing being connected to Iri's father, but he'd expressed concerns to her after reading a number of parenting and child development holo-books, and she'd promised to ask Iri's doctor.

Being a fast learner wasn't a bad thing, far from it; however, having a shortened lifespan by virtue of altered genetics was quite another matter, and Bren didn't want to take any chances. She exhaled and looked down at Iri again, noting how toddler's mouth was now covered with the blue, sticky substance that made up the sucker. "It's just...I worry about her, because of her father." Brenna met the doctor's eyes and frowned. "He was a clone trooper from the army that fought during the Wars."

"Ah, I see," Dr. Bores said with a nod, her multiple _lekku_ bobbing with the motion. To her credit, the Nautolan's expression did not change with the mention of the Wars or the clones, though Brenna thought she surely must have had something to say on the matter. "Well, I can tell you that she's aging at a normal pace right now; her memory and cognitive skills _are_ remarkable for a child her age, but otherwise Irini's perfectly ordinary."

There was a beat, then the physician met Brenna's eyes again. "However, I'm afraid I don't know much about the clone troopers...is there a way to get a sample of her father's blood? Perhaps the lab can compare it with Iri's; we might be able to get a better idea of her circumstances."

This gave Brenna pause, because Tucker – Iri's true father – had been killed about six months ago. However, Rex – genetically the same as Tucker, as any clone – was very much alive and would probably be more than happy to provide a bit of blood for this purpose. "I think I can manage that."

Nodding, Dr. Bores smiled down at Iri, who still seemed completely oblivious to the conversation of the adults as she focused on the candy, then she glanced towards Brenna again before moving to a cabinet against the far wall of the exam room. "Of course, all clones are now members of the Imperial Army and are prohibited from leaving the military, if my understanding is correct," she said in an off-hand way that made Brenna's stomach twist into a knot. "So, since you'll be unable to have a clone come to the the lab, may I suggest an alternative?"

With this, the Nautolan reached into one of the drawers and withdrew an empty glass vial. "If you can get a sample and get it to me, I can have a friend of mine in the lab make the comparison," Dr. Bores said as Brenna accepted the small object. "Off the record and free of charge."

"I can pay-"

"Not necessary," the doctor said, shaking her head. Her gaze grew distant and a bit sad for a moment before she added: "The Republic – and the clone army – was instrumental in the protection of my homeworld during the Wars. Consider it my way of saying thank you."

For a moment Brenna was overcome with emotion; she knew all-too-well that the sacrifices of the clones was often overlooked by those they fought and died for during the brutal years of the Clone Wars, so it was beyond touching to hear that someone appreciated their service. Finally she nodded and slid the vial in the pocket of her jacket, then reached her hand out to shake that of the pediatrician. "Thank you...for everything."

After they shook hands, Dr. Bores smiled at her again; there was still sorrow in her gaze, and as her eyes fell on Irini, she sighed. "Good luck to you," she said in a quiet voice as Brenna bent to collect her daughter. "All of you," the Nautolan added as Bren and Iri slipped out of the door.

Several minutes later, she and Iri had left the office and were making their way through the winding streets of Belleau-a-Lir, towards the outskirts of town. The older portion of Belleau-a-Lir was situated on an island at the middle of Lir Lakir, a lake in the mountains, but through the years the city had expanded to cover a broader stretch of land so that there were a number of bridges that led from the inner island – where Dr. Bores' office was – to the "mainland," which was where Brenna was guiding her mother's speeder.

The previous day, Brenna, Iri, Jensine and the clone Kix had arrived at the Lakir Fairgrounds for the quarterly market and auction; Jensine had four quagga to auction off, and Brenna had wanted to have Iri checked out by Dr. Bores, so they'd made an overnight trip of it. Kix had offered to come along and help Jensine with the quagga so that Brenna could focus her energies on Iri.

As they paused at an intersection, waiting for their turn to cross the bridge, she glanced behind her at Iri, safely tucked in her speeder-seat. "You were such a good girl today, Iri," Brenna said, smiling at her daughter, who had finished the sucker but was still covered in its sticky, blue remnants. "Let's get you a treat when we get to the fairgrounds."

In response, Iri studied her, then gave a blue, sticky and very hopeful grin. "Ride pony?"

"Not right now," Brenna replied, biting back her frown. Iri _loved _the quagga, more so than Brenna thought was good for her, and she was constantly pestering her mother about learning to ride. To Brenna's mind, it was unthinkable; Iri was so small, and the creatures were so huge compared to her. Having suffered from more than her share of bites, kicks and bruises, Brenna was loathe to have her daughter around the creatures at _all, _let alone when she was so little.

"Please ride pony?" Iri said, her eyes growing wider as her expression turned pleading. "_Please_, Mama?"

"Not now," Brenna replied again, adding more firmness to her voice. Iri scowled, but before she could say anything further, Brenna continued. "We're coming home today; when we do, will you tell Rex how good you were?"

Iri brightened at this, as if the thought of Rex was enough to make the little girl happy, which in turn pleased Brenna to no end and made her feel a little bit better about his recent hesitation surrounding interactions with her daughter. While Brenna would have preferred that Rex come with her on this trip, he'd been engrossed with a new project back at the ranch, and had indicated that he would rather stay behind this time around. As much as she didn't want to read anything into such a thing, Brenna couldn't help but wonder...

It had been difficult, lately. The things that had affected the galaxy as a whole had also affected the clones on an intense, personal level that Brenna had not been prepared for; when Rex found out the truth about the clone army's creation, he'd been...well, _upset_ was putting it mildly. She blinked at the vehicle ahead of her, remembering how stricken he'd been, how lost, almost like he'd been when they'd first met in the days following the Battle of Umbara, which had itself been one of the most harrowing experiences of his life.

"Rex ride pony," Iri pointed out, blonde curls bobbing as she watched her mother with honey-brown eyes, as if hoping that her argument would be convincing enough to change Brenna's mind. "Mama ride pony."

In a way, the child had a good point. It had been the work of the ranch, caring for the quagga and the vilpacas, among other things, that had kept the bulk of Rex's – and his brothers' – sorrow and anger at bay, allowing them to feel like they had a place and a purpose, now. Though Brenna had done her best to console him and give him a place of solace, she felt like she had no true understanding of his position and often wondered how much good she could do when they came from such different backgrounds.

However, as she'd done in the past, she made sure he knew she was there if and when he needed her, and that he knew how much she loved him. This – he'd said as much to her on more than one occasion – had helped him work through the feelings of helplessness, frustration and anger at the news that Fives had brought them all.

But now, months later, Brenna could see that he still wasn't quite _right_, and she didn't know what to do about it.

"Mama and Rex can ride the quagga because we're grown-ups," Brenna replied, guiding the speeder across the bridge; below, she could make out the sunlight winking across the blue waters of Lir Lakir. "Sweetheart, you're just not old enough yet. One day, I promise I'll let you ride to your heart's content, but for now, you can't."

Iri was quiet, absorbing the words, and Brenna prepared herself, for such a thing often accompanied a tantrum; the toddler had reached _that age _when the meltdowns were more frequent – and louder – than they'd ever been. However, after a moment Iri exhaled as if with great weariness, then said in a petulant voice. "Mama mean."

"I know I am," Brenna said, fighting back a sigh. "But it's only because I love you more than anything else and want you to be safe."

There was quiet for a few minutes as they approached the site of the open-air fairgrounds, and Brenna slowed the vehicle in order to allow the myriad of passers-by, guests and vendors, to move unhindered; in the corner of her eye she watched as Iri became totally absorbed in the press of people and animals, earlier annoyance apparently forgotten, and smiled to herself. Despite the tantrums, her daughter was brilliant and talented, and the notion filled Brenna with pride and that fierce, all-encompassing love that was unlike anything else in her life.

Brenna had never considered that she'd be a mother so young – she'd been twenty-one when she got pregnant – but couldn't imagine a life without Irini, now.

"Do you see Nana and Kix yet, honey?" she asked as she guided the speeder towards the area that housed the livestock for auction.

Iri was silent for a moment, eyes wide and searching as she strained against the straps of her speeder-seat, then she exclaimed in delight and began to point towards the left. "Nana! Nana!"

Brenna had spotted them, too. Like the other vendors, Jensine had been allotted a small pen in the staging area, the place where the stock was kept prior to the auction itself so that potential buyers could survey the animals beforehand. As Brenna pulled the speeder up to the humming, energized fence, she smiled as Kix nodded a greeting, the brim of his hat obscuring most of his face from the high sun. Beyond him, her mother was speaking with someone Brenna vaguely recognized as an old neighbor.

In the first weeks of their arrival on Alderaan, the clones had been hesitant to journey into civilian areas, figuring that their faces would be too recognizable; however, after a few careful forays, they'd discovered that one or two of them appearing together, in "civilian" clothes, would not blow their cover. Apparently, most people had no clue what the clones looked like beneath the helmets.

She parked the speeder beside the hover-trailer in which they'd brought the quagga, then stepped out of the vehicle and began to collect Iri from the backseat. As she did so, Kix approached and offered her a wave.

"Welcome back," he said in his quiet voice. "What did the doctor say?"

As he spoke, he rested one hand against the edge of the speeder, as if ready to offer assistance should she need it, but kept out of her way in the meantime. Around them, fairgoers and vendors trickled by; no one cast the clone or the brown-haired woman and her child more than a passing glance, for which Brenna was thankful.

It took Brenna a moment to reply, for she was fumbling in her bag for a wetcloth to wipe the remainder of the candy from Iri's cheeks; the toddler wasn't helping matters as she squirmed in her mother's arms. "She's fine," Brenna said at last as she rubbed the cloth over Iri's chubby cheeks. "Perfectly healthy."

Kix smiled at the toddler, but his eyes were tight as he looked back at Brenna. "Any sign of...?"

"Nothing," Brenna replied, glancing back at the clone once she'd finished, ignoring the way that Iri scowled and scrubbed at her face with her hands. "As far as we can tell she's aging at a normal rate. But I was asked to bring a sample of her father's blood to the lab; they're going to compare the two and see if they can't find out anything else."

"Her father?"

Iri was still squirming, refusing to be held, so Brenna acquiesced and set her down, taking the toddler's hand to guide her towards Jensine, who even now was nodding goodbye to her companion. "I thought Rex could donate some...do you think that will that work?"

Walking with them, Kix looked thoughtful. "It should; genetically, we're all the same."

"But you're each very different, so I'm learning," Jensine Damaris said, casting the former medic an appreciative look. To Brenna, she said: "Everything okay with our girl?"

"Mama! Pony!" Iri called, tugging at Brenna's hand as she pointed towards a quagga in another section.

Tightening her grip on Iri's hand, Brenna nodded. "Dr. Bores said she's perfectly healthy, and now she's good on her vaccines for another year."She paused, then glanced around the empty pen, where the four quagga had been that morning. "You sold them?"

It was Kix who answered, obvious pride in his voice. "We got an excellent price for them, too. Nearly twice as much as Mrs. Damaris was hoping."

Jensine nodded, though her eyes were still on her granddaughter, who was still gesticulating towards the nearby quagga. "Thanks to yours and Rex's handling of them," the blonde woman replied as she watched Iri. "You boys have quite an affinity for the quagga."

Kix shrugged, but Brenna could see that he was pleased at the compliment. "Thank you, ma'am. We try."

"You need to drop that 'ma'am' nonsense," Jensine sighed, running her hand along her own wide-brimmed hat. "Makes me feel old."

"Mama! See ponies? Please? _Please?_"

"I can take her," Kix offered, looking down at Iri, who beamed at up at him and batted her lashes. "Or I can start to pack up the tack we brought."

Brenna glanced at her mother, who shrugged. "Don't need help with the tack, Kix, if you want to take the little one to see the quagga. Assuming Brenna doesn't mind, that is?"

This last part was said with a raised brow towards Brenna, who bit back her annoyance at her mother's slightly patronizing tone; Jensine was of the mindset that Iri should have much more freedom than she did, especially when it came to the quagga. Everyone looked at Brenna, who knelt and gave Iri a stern look.

"Do you promise to be a good girl with Kix?"

The toddler nodded, her expression solemn in a way that reminded Brenna so much of Rex it made her heart ache with longing. "Yes, Mama. Iri be good."

"I'll look out for the _adi'ka_," Kix added, tossing in the Mando'a term of endearment out of habit. Brenna nodded and rose, watching as the clone swooped up Iri with a single motion, fast enough to make the little girl shriek with joy, then carried her towards the next pen that held the quagga. He made the gesture look so easy, so natural, and as he walked away, she pretended for one moment that it was Rex who was doing so.

She wanted it to be Rex.

"He's a natural with her," Jensine said, as if reading Brenna's thoughts. Standing beside her daughter, Jensine was several handspans shorter, but her presence _felt _a great deal larger. Her hat tilted as she shot Bren a glance. "Don't you think?"

"Yeah, he's great," she replied, shoving her hands in the pocket of her coat. Autumn in Belleau-a-Lir was brisk, and she was thankful for the cover of her jacket even as the breeze lifted up her hair. "They all are."

Jensine was still looking at her, pale blue eyes missing nothing in the way that had always annoyed Brenna to no end. "Not all of them."

As much as she didn't want to admit it, Brenna knew that her mother was right. Ever since he'd learned of the Chancellor's treachery and the true reasons behind the clone army's creation, Rex had seemed to distance himself from Iri a little bit more each day. It was plain to see that he cared for the little girl, but it wasn't as Brenna had been hoping it would be between the man she loved and her daughter. They weren't a family.

_It will take time,_ she told herself as Kix held Iri up to a friendly-looking quagga; Iri's eyes were huge and she was grinning happily as she patted the creature's nose, all under Kix's watchful eye. _You just have to be patient. He's got so much on his plate right now...and being a parent, a father, isn't something that can happen overnight._

"He's a good man," Jensine said at once, shifting her eyes back to Kix. "Your Rex, I mean. You did a good job with picking him."

"He's not a 'thing,' Mom," Brenna replied with a scowl. "He's not a saddle or a speeder...it's not like I walked into the barracks and selected him out of a row of other clones. That's not how love works."

At this, Jensine gave a snort of laughter that made Brenna's hackles rise despite herself. "Of course that's not how love works, Bren. Especially with you. No, I'm well-aware of how it works with you. I'm only thankful that this time you've hitched your wagon to someone who's actually worth a damn."

Brenna felt her cheeks grow warm. "Tucker wasn't a bad guy. I know I made a mistake with him, but-"

"I'm not talking about Tucker," Jensine said, shaking her head and crossing her arms. "I'm talking about that other one. _Arcas_. Remember?"

Before Rex, before Tucker, there had been Arcas. Older than Brenna by about a decade, he'd been the first man she'd ever loved, and she when she'd fallen for him, she'd fallen hard. It had been a brief – thankfully, looking back on it now – affair that had ended with her getting her heart broken when he left one day, suddenly and without any warning or real explanation, and it had taken Brenna several years to trust another with her heart again.

Oh, yes. She remembered Arcas. All-too-well.

The thought had occurred to her that she had gravitated to Tucker because of his inexperience with relationships; by virtue of being older than she'd been, Arcas had been vastly more experienced and worldly to her then eighteen-year-old self, and it had ended so badly. "I know I made a mistake with Arcas, Mom, but I've moved on. You should, too."

There was a sudden shriek; Brenna's eyes snapped to Kix and Iri, but the little girl was fine. A moment's observation told Brenna that the quagga had tossed its head and startled her daughter, and she was now giggling as Kix held her at a safe distance from the equine, just in case. Kix glanced towards Brenna and shot her a reassuring smile, which further made the brown-haired woman relax.

"I know you've moved on," Jensine replied shortly. "You're good at that."

_Not this again._ It was an old argument between them, one that Brenna had no wish to visit right now. "Mom-"

"But you came home in the end," her mother added after a beat. "So I suppose that's all that matters. And I should be thankful that Rex and Iri like it here so much, otherwise you might take off again."

Although she wanted to keep her cool and _not_ argue with her mother, Brenna couldn't back down from this topic, which she felt she'd taken enough flak for. "I thought you wanted to forget the past and move on, Mom. Isn't that why you contacted me after...what was it, seven _years_ of silence? No holo-calls, no messages, no _anything_?"

"You could have comm'd me as well," Jensine replied, turning away towards a pile of saddles, bridles and other tack that needed to be returned to the ranch; with swift, sure movements, the wiry woman began gathering up the bits of leather and metal. "Communication goes both ways."

Of course her mother found something else more important than her daughter. Of course she found a way to speak indirectly to Brenna rather than face the issues head-on. Of course, Brenna couldn't drop the subject and let it go, as she should have. "I left home for a reason. I got that scholarship to Aldera University, and it was too good of an opportunity to pass by. You should have been proud-"

"You shouldn't have left," Jensine interrupted, pausing in her work to regard Brenna as if she were a child again, no bigger than Iri. "Look what happened to you when you left."

"Arcas was a mistake, but that's hardly a reason to say I should have stuck around the ranch for the rest of my life."

"I just hope you never have to go through with Irini what I did with you," Jensine said with a shrug as she stepped towards the trailer to put the saddles and pieces of tack away. "Maybe you'll get lucky."

With that, Jensine Damaris disappeared into the trailer, stepping up the ramp that led to the vehicle's interior, leaving Brenna alone, which was when she realized that she was trembling with fury, the kind that only someone so close to her could elicit. Her mother was infuriating, and right now, she wanted nothing more than to grab Irini, leave and never look back.

_Anywhere but here,_ she thought as she took a breath to calm herself. _If I could live _anywhere_ but with her, it wouldn't be able to come a day too soon. _

Logically, she knew there were few places where Rex and his brothers could live without fear of being reclaimed for the Imperial Army – her mother's ranch being among them – but right now, all she could think about was getting away from her mother, away from the shadows of her past. She'd even gone so far as to look up information on potential jobs; there were a number of promising options within the private sector on other worlds, all of which sounded incredibly appealing in this moment.

But her mother was right, and Jensine knew it. Iri loved it here; the little girl had grown up with Brenna's brother Caith and his family, and she loved the ranch, the quagga, and even the vilpacas. And Rex...

Brenna swallowed, because her throat was tight. Rex loved it here, too. She could see it in his eyes, especially when he came back from a particularly brisk ride; he would smell like wind and grass, and his cheeks would be flushed with happiness. He had a place here, with his brothers. He had work to occupy him and a sense of belonging, of purpose, that she knew he needed, especially now that the rest of his life was in such upheaval.

But she didn't know how much more of her mother she could take.

"Hey, Kix," she called out, watching as the clone and Iri turned to her. "I'm going to step to the 'fresher. Will you...?"

The former medic nodded and hefted Iri in his arms, making the little girl giggle. "I've got her, Miss Damaris."

Ignoring the formal term – her mother was right about _that_, too – Brenna waved to Iri, then turned and made for the direction of the public 'freshers in this area of the fairgrounds. It was soothing to lose herself in the bustle of the crowd for a little while, so once she was done she took a few minutes to meander through the vendors that were lined up in this section of the grounds.

Along with livestock auctions, there were a wide variety of goods for sale, and she wandered through the merchants' stalls, glancing over everything from handcrafted saddles, bridles and other practical items, to the less-practical booths. As she surveyed a toy hover-ball in a booth that seemed to have a little of everything, wondering if Iri would like it, her eyes fell on a nearby tray of slender, silver rings, and something made her heart swell with longing, again.

Wedding rings.

It wouldn't solve anything, she knew. It wouldn't make Rex feel less lost, less adrift. It wouldn't magically turn him into Iri's father – that would come with time and patience – and nor would it ensure that he would stick around. Marriage was not something that should be undertaken lightly, on a whim, no matter how certain she was that he was right, that _they _were right.

But she wanted it. Badly.

_No,_ Brenna told herself even as she skimmed her hands over the rings, noting the various sizes and mentally calculating which would likely fit Rex. _No, you have to be patient. He loves you, he's not going to leave you or Iri, no matter how hard things are for him right now. _

She knew better than to let the shadows of the past cloud her view of the present. Arcas had left her, but there had been warning signs along the way that she'd been too inexperienced to heed. Tucker had left as well, but again – she should have known better, should have known that, inexperienced as he'd been when they'd met, he'd balk at the first sign of trouble. No, Tucker shouldn't have left her when she told him she was pregnant, but she shouldn't have gotten involved in the first place.

Her heart, her foolish heart, always led her down the wrong path, and she should have learned not to trust it any longer. While loving Rex was not an intellectual decision, she had to approach her relationship with him as rationally as she could, because she had a responsibility to her daughter. Irini's well-being couldn't be trusted to Brenna's heart alone.

She needed to turn away, perhaps buy that hover-ball for Iri if she wanted to spend money, and then go back and make peace with her mother because it was the right thing to do. When they got home, she could explain her concerns to Rex and try to approach the situation as logically as possible; he loved her, she loved him, and she knew that together, they could handle anything that life threw at them.

But first she needed to walk away from this booth, because it was too tempting. It would be for the best.

Instead, she looked up, caught the eye of the vendor in charge of the booth, and gestured to the tray of rings. "How much for two of these?"

* * *

_Thank you for reading! _

_Next time: Bren gets busted._


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

_Later that afternoon..._

Balancing on one of the support beams for the wind-pump, Rex was the first to see the tell-tale cloud of dust from Jensine Damaris' speeder as the vehicle wound its way up the dirt driveway that led to the main house. Due to "technical difficulties" with the speeder – as Bren had put it – the sight of the approaching vehicle greeted Rex several hours after the others been expected back.

After alerting the rest of his brothers and Caith over the comm, Rex began to collect his tools and prepare to clamber down the slender, durasteel structure. Because the top-most portion of the pump was more narrow than the bottom, only one person at a time was able to safely work there, so Jesse had opted to wait below while Rex acted as his "second pair of eyes."

At the sight of the speeder, a thrill of happiness moved through him because it heralded Bren and Iri's return, though even as he carefully made his way down the latticed, metallic sides of the wind-pump, he also felt apprehensive, because of what the doctor might have said. Shortly after the appointment was scheduled to have ended, he'd gotten a message from Brenna indicating that Iri was fine – no anomalies with her aging – but Rex couldn't help his anxiety. How much did the pediatrician know about clones, anyway? How much of his own genetics would find their way into the little girl, and to what extent?

The thought entered his mind again: he should have gone with them.

It was what a father was supposed to do, wasn't it? But each time he thought he had a handle on what that word meant – _father_ – the universe would remind him just how much of a rookie he was at this business. Most of his new roles he'd taken to with aplomb because they were extensions of those he'd held in his old life with the GAR: ranch-hand and provider – in a sense – protector of his new family, and his new charges, like Nova.

But raising a child? Teaching her what she needed to know to be a healthy and happy adult? Hell, he'd only been _alive_ for just over thirteen years, and up until the last six months had only interacted with children a handful of times. What in the void did _he _know about being a father?

Brenna had tried to ease his mind, saying that no one really knew what they were doing when they first had a kid. Caith, her brother, who had a six year-old son, had said much the same thing.

But Rex couldn't stop the worry from consuming his mind. Every time he looked at Iri and saw his own eyes looking back at him, he was afraid of what his ignorance and his _inexperience _would do to her, because at the end of the day, the only reason that he was even alive was to serve the whim of a power-hungry Sith Lord, to fight and die in a war that was simply another footnote in the history of the Sith and the Jedi. His life, his very being, was a construct of formerly-held beliefs and empty convictions, none of which were things to raise a child with.

And that, more than anything else, made him think that perhaps it was better if he kept his distance from the little girl, at least until he knew he wouldn't cause her any irreparable damage.

None of these thoughts were pleasant, but he refused to set them aside. Rex was well-aware that he thought a great deal – perhaps too much, sometimes – but Iri's well-being was just too important to _not_ think about; as his boots touched the dirt around the base of the wind-pump, he felt the anxiety again, only this time it was centered less on Iri and more on himself.

_She deserves a _real_ father,_ he thought as he nodded to Jesse, who'd been watching his progress down the wind-pump carefully. _Not an ex-soldier suffering an identity crisis._

"Well?" Jesse asked, shading his eyes from the sun with the flat of his hand.

Rex shrugged, his eyes flickering to the direction of the approaching speeder and the little trailer hovering behind it. Most of the Damaris' property was made up of pastures and fields, with the house, barn and collection of sheds placed relatively close together, so it was a short walk from the location of the wind-pump in the main courtyard before the stables to the home itself. "Everything in the rotor shaft looked fine to me, Jess. But I'm not expert on this kind of stuff."

The tattooed clone's face shifted into a scowl, but it wasn't at his brother; the wind-pump had been giving him no end of trouble, but with typical clone efficiency, he was determined to find victory against the machine. "I don't know why it's not generating as much power as it needs to," he mused, hand moving to his chin. "Maybe the pitch of the blades isn't right?"

"Maybe," Rex replied, but he was already making his way back to the main house. "Leave it for today; you can pick it up tomorrow."

He missed his brother's reply, as the speeder was pulling into the gravely driveway that curved before the main house, the repulsors kicking up dust as the vehicle slowed to a halt. As the passengers began to disembark, Rex found his steps growing a little quicker in anticipation, because a part of him – the ex-soldier, ex-captain – never quite believed that the ones he cared about would be safe without him, despite the fact that he wasn't sure they'd be safe _with_ him, either.

Jensine and Kix greeted him as they stepped out of the vehicle and moved towards the house, but his eyes were only for the brown-haired woman who was leaning over the child's speeder-seat in the backseat of the vehicle as she fussed with the buckles that secured the little girl into the chair. As he approached she didn't turn, and he took a breath, feeling very worried all of a sudden.

"Rex!"

At the sound of her daughter's exclamation, Brenna did turn, and when her eyes fell on him the knot of anxiety in his chest loosened just a bit. There were smudges of dirt on her cheeks, her jacket was streaked with dust and her hair was messy, but she was smiling at him like there was no one else in the galaxy she wanted to see, and in the back of his mind, behind all of the worries and agitation, he thought: _yes, it will be okay, as long as we're together._

"Welcome back," he said as he came to stand at Bren's side; as much as he wanted to take her in his arms, he knew that she had to focus on getting Iri out of the speeder-seat, so he refrained from embracing her as he desired. Instead, he slid his body into modified parade-rest – a habit he figured he'd never be able to get over – and tried to stay out of her way.

For a moment, her smile wavered, but she gave him a nod and then looked back at her daughter. "We're just glad we made it in one piece, aren't we, Iri?" As Brenna pulled the toddler from the seat, Rex noted that the child's eyes were red and puffy, and her face was flushed. When Bren righted herself, she shot Rex a tight smile. "It wasn't exactly a pleasant trip."

"I can tell," Rex replied, feeling his forehead creasing with worry as he studied the child. "Is she okay?"

"Mama mean," Iri said in response, her lips set in a pout. "_Mean_."

At this, Brenna sighed and hefted Iri on her hip, then indicated the house. "She's cranky and tired, but she's healthy, otherwise." As they began to walk, she gave Rex another look. "Perfectly healthy, in every way."

"The doctor's certain?"

A gust of wind, cooler now that evening was approaching, lifted the loose ends of Brenna's hair around her face as she replied. "Fairly certain, but-"

The pause made Rex's pulse leap with apprehension. He knew it. Iri was aging fast – too fast – and her life would be unnaturally shortened; that, or there was some defect, some issue with clone children that no one had anticipated or prepared for...

But Brenna was speaking again, her voice slightly cautious. "Dr. Bores is aware of Iri's parentage, and would like a sample of your blood to compare to hers, just in case."

"My blood." Rex paused, then nodded a moment later. "You mean her father's blood."

At his words, something shifted on Bren's face, a trace of sorrow, but before he could ask if she was okay it disappeared.

"Kix said it should be alright," she replied, hefting the little girl again. Rex considered taking Iri, but held himself back; she was so little, and he was always worried he'd break something. "Rex, I know you and Tucker aren't the _same_, but genetically..."

They'd reached the house, and after they'd climbed the steps that led up the front porch, Rex held the old-fashioned swinging door open for her as he spoke. "Genetically we are the same. Kix is right, and I'd be glad to give Iri's doctor a sample if you think it will help."

"It can't hurt to be extra-certain," she replied as they stepped into the interior of the house. As always, Rex found it a little too cluttered here for his tastes, but since he didn't _own _the place, he didn't think it was his call to comment on the fact that Brenna's mother seemed determined to cover every available surface with bits of tack for the quaggas or other, random bits of ranch-related miscellany.

"No, it can't," he said, bending to move a saddle that had fallen to the floor out of Brenna's path. "You can't take any chances when it comes to Iri's health."

As he hefted the object, Iri's head lifted and she gave Rex a hopeful look. "Rex ride pony?"

Before he could reply, a delicious scent met his nostrils, and his stomach gave a growl; looking up, Rex could see that Caith was checking on something in the oven, Jensine standing behind him while they spoke quietly. Although they owned their own house not terribly far from Jensine's, Caith and his wife, Edme, had chosen to stay on the ranch for a little while, helping out when they could; Rex got the impression that both Caith and Edme loved it out here, so it didn't appear to be much of a hardship, despite the fact that Edme had to commute into the city for her work.

"Welcome back," Caith said, looking up and nodding to Brenna. "Dinner should be ready in about an hour."

"An hour?" Jensine asked, putting her hands on her hips and looking up at her adult son. "We were late...how is it going to take an hour?"

Caith sighed and shook his head, but Rex missed his next words, as Brenna was speaking to Iri. "Just enough time to get you a bath."

"No!" Iri's reply was loud and very firm.

However, Brenna was firm as well, albeit much calmer and quieter. "It's not up for debate, Iri. You need a bath. Come on, I'll make it quick-"

As she made to carry the little girl upstairs, Iri's face scrunched up and she shook her head from side-to-side and screamed. _"No! No bath! _See ponies!"

"Later," Brenna replied, hefting her daughter and stepping on the bottom step of the stairs, Rex following. "You can visit the quagga after your bath."

The resulting shriek that Iri made was loud and sharp enough to split right through Rex's skull, and for one instant he longed for the sound of blaster-fire, because that noise would have preferable to the wail of the child. It was a sound that he'd heard before, of course, but it shook him a little every time, because Irini sounded like she was being _tortured_, yet as far as he could tell, nothing was truly _wrong. _Additionally, Iri's face was bright red, contorted with fury and misery as if this moment, _right now_, was truly the end of the world, and he couldn't even begin to understand why she felt this way.

But Brenna was calm. She'd continued up the stairs as if nothing was wrong, even though Rex knew there was no way she didn't hear the screaming, and he was struck with the feeling of helplessness again as he followed her up the stairs, to the children's 'fresher. The entire situation was always so far out of his realm of expertise, that he was at a complete loss as to how to handle it. During the first few months of his and his brothers' time on Alderaan, Iri had been remarkably – as Brenna and Caith said – even tempered, but in recent weeks the tantrums had begun to arrive with more frequency, and more force.

He didn't know why. The parenting manuals he'd read said that such a thing happened with kids Iri's age, because they desired more independence but didn't yet have the skills to express how they felt. He supposed that made sense, but it was in a purely academic way that his brain couldn't quantify when faced with the reality of a screeching toddler.

When they arrived in the small room, Iri had not stopped screaming; if anything, the sound had only grown more shrill and horrible, and Rex didn't know how Brenna could be so calm.

"Iri, I know you don't want to take a bath," Brenna said as she set the little girl down on the rug that was spread over the tiled floor. "I know you're tired and upset with me, but it's bath-time right now. When you're all clean, you can visit the quagga, and then we can all get some dinner together. Doesn't that sound nice?"

Suddenly, there was blessed silence. Astonished, Rex watched as Iri's face smoothed even as tears continued to leak out of her eyes. Irini gave a single, despondent sniff, then nodded once, slowly, as if accepting the terms she'd been offered, and he gave a sigh of relief.

Perhaps Bren heard him, for she shot him a glance; again, he saw how tired she was, and he was struck with a desire to do _something. _Ill-prepared as he was for this role, certain as he was that he was going to somehow do irreparable damage to Iri, he had to help the woman he loved, somehow.

But he was at a loss. However, Brenna made the choice for both of them. "Will you take her to see Nova when we're done here?"

"Of course," he replied at once, quietly relieved she'd asked him, because he hadn't known what he could do. Even though he'd thought that his words would be appreciated, again he noted disappointment within her eyes.

However, before he could ask her about it, she nodded and then looked back at Iri. "What do you think, sweetheart? Would you like to visit Nova with Rex?"

Iri beamed. It was such a change from her earlier, stricken expression that Rex had to smile as well. Sometimes Brenna made it look so easy to make the child happy. As Bren activated the bath and the tub began to fill with warm water, she started to undress the little girl. "I wanted to get on the HoloNet a little bit before dinner," she said as she pulled Iri out of the dusty coveralls the child had been wearing. "Thank you."

"She'll be fine," he said as much to Bren as to himself. "I won't let anything happen to her."

As Bren made to put her daughter in the warm water, she shot him a strange look. "I know, Rex. You'll both be fine."

"Rex, pony!" Iri added, splashing her mother with a dollop of sudsy bath-water.

Brenna's eyes squinted shut as she was pelted with the liquid, but when they opened, she gave Iri a stern look. "That's not nice, Iri."

"Sorry, Mama."

There were a few moments of quiet, during which Rex debated what he should do; normally he was off with the other clones, doing chores around the ranch, and hadn't been faced with this dilemma too much. Should he remain here? It always felt odd to stand by and watch, but he didn't know the first thing about bathing kids, and he didn't want to get in Brenna's way. Finally he turned and went to the dresser where Bren kept the child's clothing; he selected a few, warm options and brought them back to the 'fresher.

"Here," he said, holding them up. "I got the sweater she likes."

In the middle of rubbing shampoo in Iri's hair, Brenna cast a brief glance his way. "Not that one – she's outgrown it. Try the purple one that Mom got last week."

"She's outgrown it?" Rex looked at the little red sweater in his hand, then back at Iri, whose eyes and mouth were squeezed shut as Brenna carefully washed her hair. "Already?"

Brenna made a noise of amusement. "That's what kids do, Rex. They grow."

Right. Of course. He felt a little annoyed, but did as she'd suggested and returned with the new garment. There was quiet for a moment – well, relative quiet, as Iri had started singing to herself and lightly splashing at the water – then Brenna cleared her throat. "She's growing, but it's at a normal rate, Rex. She's fine. I promise you."

He wanted to believe her. "For now."

"Rex," she said, shaking her head and soaping up Iri's back. "She's _fine._ Trust me. I've done everything I can do to make certain of it. At some point, you're going to have to accept the fact."

"There are no other children of clones, as far as I know," he replied with a frown. He'd taken to leaning against the sink, watching her and Iri, who was still playing with the water. "Even if the rapid-aging didn't get passed to her, there's no telling what other effects she might feel from the Kaminoan's meddling."

Brenna took a breath and he got the sense that she was trying very hard to keep her voice calm. "Hopefully we'll find out when we compare your blood to Iri's. Until then...there's nothing we can do about it, so it's silly to worry."

"Silly?"

At this, she turned to him, her expression apologetic. "Not silly, Rex. It's just...we don't know, so we shouldn't worry unless we have something to worry _about_. Does that make sense?"

He bit back a flare of apprehension at her words and the accompanying, rising annoyance. _Silly_. He was _not_ being silly by worrying about the health of her daughter, just like he wasn't being silly by thinking that he could do real harm to the child, unprepared as he was to step into the role of father. Rex exhaled, but found that his arms had crossed before his chest, anyway. He didn't uncross them. "Yeah, it does. I guess."

There was more quiet; he watched as Brenna rinsed off Iri, then removed her from the tub to dry the little girl. As Brenna wrapped Iri in a towel, some of the tiredness had faded from her face and he had to smile as she cooed and tickled Iri's nose with her own before rubbing gently at Iri's blonde hair to dry it, all while murmuring to the little girl.

Iri seemed pleased with the attention, and grinned at her mother as well, though after a moment she looked at Rex and spoke. "Un' Kix pony!"

Rex shot Brenna a perplexed glance, and the brown-haired woman gave him a wan smile as she began to head into the bedroom to dress the child. "At the auction; Kix helped out a little bit while I looked around the fair. He showed Iri some of the other quagga for sale."

"Kix nice," Iri added, clearly pleased with herself, even though she pouted when her mother set her on the bed to dress her.

"Yes, he is," Brenna replied. To Rex, she said: "Mom's really impressed with how you guys have been handling the quagga. She made a point of it to let me know that she thinks you have a knack with them."

"They're easy," Rex said with a shrug. "Simple."

He didn't think about the word when he said it, but he saw at once that it had been the wrong thing to say, for Brenna's mouth grew tight and she blinked rapidly. "I know they are," she said after a moment as she urged Iri to hold still so that she could put her socks on. "I'm glad you've taken to them so well, too."

"Mama...see ponies now?"

Brenna exhaled and smiled down at her daughter, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking up at her with a face that suggested she was on her best behavior. Post-bath, in clean clothes, Iri was practically glowing, and Rex couldn't help but smile as well; she really was a beautiful kid, and for a moment he felt it again, the _longing _for this, but _more. _

It had never left him, only grown stronger when in the presence of Bren and Iri.

"Will you take her?" Bren asked, getting to her feet with the little girl. Rex hesitated, then nodded and stepped forward; as she was about to pass the little girl over to him, Iri grabbed at Brenna's shirt and pulled.

"No Rex! Stay Mama!"

Rex bit back the feeling of disappointment, and he raised his hands. "If she doesn't want me, I don't have to-"

"Iri, it's okay," Brenna broke in, looking at the little girl, then back at him. "I'm sorry...she's just cranky right now." But before he could respond, Iri tugged at Brenna's shirt again, and a small package fell out of the pocket at the front of the shirt, landing on the floor with a soft _dink._

As he bent to retrieve it, Rex heard Brenna's sharp inhale, and immediately felt a sense of warning. It was a small plastic bag, inside of which he could see that something was wrapped in flimsi. "What's this? Something you picked up at the fair?"

He looked at Brenna and frowned at the somewhat guilty look on her face. "Bren?"

She seemed to hesitate, then sighed and held Iri close to her side. "Open it."

Within the tiny bag, wrapped within a piece of thin flimsi, were two slender, silver rings. They were plain bands; one was significantly large than the other and he knew without trying that it would fit his ring-finger. "Wedding rings."

When he met Brenna's eyes, he noted again that she looked guilty. "Yeah. I saw them and...I mean...it was a good deal, and I didn't know if we'd have a chance to look for any...later."

She trailed off and studied him, but his attention had shifted to the pieces of jewelry in his hand. They glinted in the lights of Iri's room, and they were warm from being close to Bren's body for so long. "Later?"

Iri, having grown bored with the conversation of the adults, was starting to squirm with anxiousness in her mother's arms; upon hearing Rex say the word "later," she twisted around and met Brenna's eyes hopefully. "Mama? Iri see ponies now?"

"In a minute, honey," she replied. At the words, Iri's face scrunched up and began to turn bright red, signaling yet another tantrum, so Brenna exhaled and began to rummage through her pocket with one hand. As Rex watched, Bren withdrew her comlink and began speaking. "Kix? Can I ask you a favor?"

The former medic's voice was calm, as it always was. "_Sure. What's up?"_

Rex saw her eyes flicker to him, but she continued speaking into the comlink. "I need you to come up and take Iri for...a few minutes. She's dying to visit the quagga and I...can't take her, right now."

Kix agreed at once, and Rex felt something inside of him bristle at the idea, though it was not with annoyance at his brother. It should be _his_ job, not Kix's, to take care of the child, and the fact that Bren had even asked his brother to do so struck that part of Rex that was convinced he was simply not cut out for the whole fatherhood thing.

When Bren set her comlink back in her pocket, she took a deep breath and met his eyes, but neither of them said anything. However, he could tell that something between them that had been growing during the past three months was preparing to bubble to the surface, and a part of him thought back to his time in the army, when he'd have to steel himself for a particularly dangerous or unpleasant mission.

It felt like forever before Kix came, but it was probably only a minute or so. The former medic took Iri without a word, though he did shoot Rex a somewhat nervous glance; Rex nodded to his brother, but said nothing.

Conversely, Iri seemed pleased both to see her uncle and to know that she was getting her way, so she giggled happily in Kix's arms. "Iri see ponies!"

"That's right_, adi'ka_," Kix said as they slipped out of the room and down the stairs. "Hey, you know what? I think they missed you."

After Kix and Iri were out of earshot, Brenna took a deep breath and looked back at Rex. "I want to marry you," she said in an even, controlled voice. "Not right this moment, but one day."

Rather than respond immediately, he glanced back down at the rings. He knew her well enough to have heard what she had not added: _If you want to marry me._

Did he want to marry her? It was a simple question whose answer he had once known. He could remember being on the _Resolute _and thinking that yes, he did want to marry her, he did want to be Iri's father. But that had been before everything had changed, before he'd been shown that his true purpose was little more than that of a blaster; while he knew, rationally, that his value was greater than that of a weapon, it was difficult to have such a stark reality shoved in his face and not question every decision, every thought, he'd ever had.

Right now, Rex had an answer to the question. He just knew it wasn't one that she was going to like.

* * *

As she watched him study the rings, Brenna wondered how badly she'd screwed up.

He wasn't supposed to find them; she'd had every intention of putting them in a safe place and bringing the subject up later, when she thought that he was in a more stable place, more comfortable with himself and his new life.

Rex looked up at Brenna again, and shook his head. "Brenna...I can't." Her throat grew tight and her lips parted to reply, but he continued. "It's...not right, not now." He paused, took a breath. "Maybe not ever."

The words struck her with more force than a fist. She blinked once and tried to push away the sudden constriction in her chest, which turned out to be an impossible task as long as she looked at him. "Never?"

Rex's brow furrowed and he glanced back down at the rings in his hand. "I don't know right now, Bren. All I know is that I can't be what you both need...I've only got what, another ten, fifteen years, at most? That's not enough for Iri."

"I don't care about that," she replied, glancing behind her; she debated about sitting on one of the kids' beds, as her legs felt strange and wobbly, but chose to remain standing. "I knew about your lifespan and fell in love with you, anyway, because it doesn't matter to me."

"But it's not fair to _her_," he said, straightening, his fist closing around the rings. "Irini needs more than I can give. Yes, you knew about my lifespan when we met, but she's an innocent...it isn't right for me to agree to raise her when I _know_ that I won't be around much longer."

As she listened, all of the frustration that she'd tried to keep at bay during the last three months began to ripple to the surface of her mind, and she was hard-pressed to keep her voice calm as she replied. "You're not raising her at all, Rex. You're avoiding raising her; you're avoiding having pretty much anything to do with her unless I ask you outright to take a role in her life."

"That's not true," he replied sharply. "Bren, that's not true and you know it. There have been plenty of times where I've helped you."

She took a breath to steady herself. "It feels like I'm twisting your arm, no matter what. I know you care about her and I know you like being with her, but it feels like you're not letting yourself be as much a part of her life as I need you to be."

A shadow crossed his face, but she could see that he was trying to fight it back. Even so, when he spoke his voice was like granite. "She doesn't need me."

"She does, Rex," Brenna replied quietly. "We both do."

There was a beat of silence while she tried to collect herself again, though she felt more of her calm dissipating. It was upsetting to think that, after what they'd been through, he didn't want to marry her, but it was more so – infinitely more so – to think that he didn't want to even _try_ to make things work with her daughter.

"I've tried to be patient, because I know you've gone through a huge upheaval these last few months," she said at last, fighting back the emotion that threatened to break her voice. "I know that it's been difficult for you and your brothers. And honestly, you can marry me or not; that doesn't matter so much, as long as we're together-"

"What about these?" he broke in, holding up the rings. "Why did you buy them, if it doesn't matter to you?"

Her mouth opened but no sound came out for a long moment; she wanted to look away, but his eyes on her were intense and he refused to break his gaze. Finally she managed to reply. "It was just a spur-of-the moment purchase. It doesn't mean anything."

Rex's hand tightened over the rings again. "That's not true, either."

"Okay," she admitted, closing her eyes, briefly. "It does matter to me. When you say you don't want to marry me, it feels like you're rejecting...not just me, but Iri, too."

"Bren-"

"Iri's my whole life," Brenna continued, looking back at him. "She's my everything, and right now it feels like you're using your rapid-aging as an excuse _not _to get close to her."

His face darkened again and she watched his jaw tighten. "My accelerated-aging is _not_ an excuse for me to shirk my responsibility. It's a valid concern."

"But you can't do anything about it," she pointed out. "So why let it control your life?"

Rex exhaled sharply; the sound was too harsh and bitter to be a laugh, but she got the sense that he felt a dark sense of amusement at her words. "My life has been controlled since well before I took my first breath."

Brenna felt her stomach drop to her knees. "I understand that, Rex, but-"

But his head was shaking again. "No, Bren. You don't." He held out the package with the rings and met her eyes. "Here. You should take these back."

She crossed her arms before her chest and held his gaze, thinking that if she moved – or spoke, for that matter – she would lose her tenuous calm.

"What you're asking of me...it's too much," he added, his own voice growing sharper with each word. "I wasn't made for this. That's what I'm trying to tell you."

"I know," she said after a beat. "But I'm trying to tell you that if you and I are going to continue, you need to be her father. You need to step into that role."

Still clutching the rings, Rex's hand fell to his side as he began shaking his head. "An ultimatum, Brenna? I thought you couldn't raise a child on absolutes. Isn't that what you told Tucker?"

There was ire in his voice, barely controlled, and she felt herself automatically responding in kind. "If you feel that way, does that mean you're going to leave, too?"

For a moment they only stared at each other, then he scowled and dropped the rings on the ground right before he turned away from her and slipped out the door. She listened to his booted steps as he hurried down the stairs, then heard the sound of the door closing behind him as he escaped outside.

* * *

_Sigh. This was *so* hard to write. I want all my characters to get along, so it's difficult when they fight, even a little bit like this. I'm also wary of making moments like these overly dramatic, as that takes away from the impact. Rex and Bren aren't really the "shouting" type, but they can't always get along, and the argument was meant to be the result of several months of brooding on Rex's part...__anyway, let me know what you think. :)  
_

_Thank you for reading! _

_Next time: Rex goes on an impromptu anooba hunt._


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

_What have I done?_

Of course Rex knew he shouldn't have taken off like that, but Bren's words had cut him right to his core, partly because they were true and he hated to hear his fears laid out so plainly.

Well, the mention of Tucker had been his own doing; but even so, the idea that she'd compare his actions, even in a small way, to the commando's worst transgression had stung more than he wanted to admit.

So he'd stormed out, like a child? Left her without a word...he hadn't even said anything to Caith when the other man had asked him what was wrong. _What the hell _is_ wrong with me?_

Rex shifted in Nova's saddle and watched the beginnings of the sunset over the mountains. It was a sight that he didn't think he'd ever get tired of, but right now it held no pleasure because he was quite certain that he'd screwed things up even worse than before. Bren wanted to _marry _him – of course he'd known that. She wanted him to be a father to her daughter – he'd known that, too.

But he also knew that neither of those things should happen until he had some kind of a solution to the problem that kept gnawing away at him. He'd meant every word he'd said: it was fine for Brenna to accept his shortened lifespan because she was aware of the repercussions of such a thing; however, it wasn't right – not at all – to ask a child to do the same.

Rex's mind cast itself back to Saleucami, to Cut Lawquane and the other man's family as he wondered what Cut would say to him if he could see the path in life that the former captain had taken.

In the first few months following Rex's desertion from the army, he'd thought about Cut a great deal, but as more and more time passed and it became clear that the speed of Rex's aging was going to be a problem, his feelings on the other clone were mixed. Rex understood the desire to live one's life with a family that you loved and who loved you; Brenna had helped him realize this a while ago, when they'd fallen in love on the _Resolute_.

But he also felt that he was being selfish.

In the back of his mind, the thought sprang up: _what do I want? _But he tried to push the question aside, because it was irrelevant. What he wanted shouldn't matter, and he did not want his own desires come into play when there was too much at stake, no matter how often he looked at Brenna and Iri and thought, _yes, this, more. _

However, in Rex's heart of hearts, he did want a family with her. He wanted to marry the woman he loved and he wanted to raise Irini as his own...maybe even have more children, if Bren wanted them, too.

_So I can die in a few years and leave them alone? _Rex gritted his teeth in silent frustration. _No, it can't be that way. _

Bren's words came back to him: _"...right now it feels like you're using your rapid-aging as an excuse not to get close to her."_

_No. _He shook his head again to clear it. No, that wasn't true, _couldn't_ be true, because the accelerated pace of his aging _wasn't _an excuse. It was a reason, and a damn good one, he thought. Aside from the fact that he was a soldier bred, grown and trained to kill, nothing in his life had provided him with the experience to raise a child to a healthy and happy adulthood.

Yes, he could handle livestock and ride, but Rex knew that ultimately, fighting was at the core of all that he was, and he knew _that _was not something that Iri needed.

It was the same argument, spinning around his head, again and again, and there was no end in sight.

Rex gave a snort of disgust at himself, and nudged Nova into a walk, then a light trot, and for a few minutes the brisk air against his cheeks allowed him to think of other, simpler things. Since he'd neglected to check the rest of this sector's fence-line this morning, he decided that there was no time like the present, so he urged the quagga onward, breaking her into a smooth canter as they headed for the place he'd stopped before.

Riding was always calming. Rex eased his body into the rhythm of the creature beneath him and took a quiet kind of pleasure with the way that Nova responded to even the subtlest of commands; her training was coming along, nicely. Before too long they reached the desired section of fence and he slowed her to a walk, glancing up into the sky as he did so. There would be enough light for a few hours, at least, so he had a bit of time to fulfill his task.

As he'd done early that morning, Rex examined the fence-line carefully, checking for breaks or spots of damage, and gradually, as he calmed down further, he allowed his mind to wander again.

In so many ways, his life had taken such an unfamiliar shape, he supposed it was no wonder that he'd been brooding and restless, lately. Brenna had noticed, of course, but he'd tried to pretend it wasn't so, because she had enough on her plate as a single mother, not to mention the fact that he knew she wasn't quite as content on Alderaan as he was. Neither of them was at their best, but he could only see one way to rectify the problem.

He had to find a way to halt, cure, slow – _whatever_ – his and his brothers' rapid-aging. It had caused such a division between himself and the woman he loved and it was preventing him from stepping into the roles he wanted to assume.

_Another battle, this time against my own genetics_. Rex sighed and patted Nova's striped neck. "Just that simple, isn't it, girl?"

Even though she only whickered a response, he felt a little bit better.

* * *

Several minutes later, Brenna found herself at the quagga barn, where Kix had brought Iri while Jensine was calling the equines in for their evening feed. Once Brenna collected her daughter from the clone, she set Iri down outside the paddock fence and knelt beside her, pointing out the various quagga and trying to remember all their names. Eventually, as the sun set a little more and the wind picked up, Iri started to shiver, so Brenna hugged the little girl to her chest, wrapping her own jacket around Iri to keep her warm. The toddler had made it quite plain that she didn't want to go in just yet, and Bren was reluctant to deny her anything, right now.

The scent of Caith's dinner was wafting through the yard, and she felt her stomach rumble; pressed against Brenna as she was, Iri twisted her head to look at her mother and gave a giggle. "Mama hungry."

Brenna smiled at her. "Very hungry. Are you hungry?"

Iri paused, then looked back around the paddock. "Where Rex?"

Brenna had come out of the house just in time to watch Nova as the quagga cantered away from the homestead, carrying Rex along. She'd let him go. Now, she hugged her daughter closer, inhaling her familiar scent before she replied. "He had to go for a little bit, honey, but he'll be back very soon."

"Why?" Iri's voice was perplexed and far too thoughtful for a child who was not yet three.

There was a beat while Brenna collected her thoughts. Children, especially ones who were as intelligent as Irini, were attuned to the moods and mannerisms of adults around them, and she could tell by the tone of Iri's voice that her daughter knew that Brenna was upset about something. Finally she blew a raspberry against the toddler's chubby cheek, making Iri squeal with delight. As Iri giggled, Brenna replied as innocuously as she could. "He needed to go check on the fences."

She had no clue if it was true, but she thought that it was as good a guess as anything. This made the little girl frown, as if she didn't quite believe her mother, but before Iri could question her again, Bren heard footsteps behind them; she twisted her head around and watched her brother approach from the house.

"Everything okay?"

Bren gave him a tight smile. "Sure."

"Hmm." Caith squinted off in the direction that Rex and Nova had gone, then looked back at her. "Do you know if he'll be back in time for dinner? Mom and I saw him leave."

At this, Bren got to her feet and rested Iri on her hip. "I'm not sure when he's coming back."

She trailed off, but Caith only nodded and gave her a warm look. "Come inside, Bren. It's getting chilly."

Her eyes slid to the open pasture again, but Caith put a hand on her arm. "Let's give him until after dinner, then I'll go check on him. I think I can guess where he went; Jesse mentioned that he's been at the far pastures a lot, lately."

"Thanks, but I should probably go." She pressed her cheek to Iri's, noting with happiness that her daughter was warm, despite the prevalent wind.

Caith hesitated, then gave Brenna one of those looks that had always made her feel like he really did know what he was talking about; sometimes it was infuriating, but other times, like right now – or when their father had died when she was a kid – she took comfort in the fact that he _felt _wise, even when she knew he was probably a just as much of a loss as she was.

Indeed, he seemed to be uncertain how she would receive his words, but he said them anyway. "I think maybe...he might appreciate another...you know."

She lifted her brow at her elder brother. "Another guy?"

"Yeah. Or another father."

Brenna was quiet for a minute, then nodded slowly. After a few moments, she looked back at Caith and frowned. "I wish he hadn't left. I shouldn't have said what I did."

Her brother put his arm around her shoulders and urged her toward the house. "I heard a little of it...from what I could tell, you said what you needed to say, and what he needed to hear. And I know that he'll come back to you. He's not Tucker, you know. You were right about that."

"I know he's not Tucker," she replied as their boots crunched along the gravel. Another slice of wind ruffled through her coat, and she shivered despite herself and hoped Iri wasn't getting chilly all over again. "He's not like anyone I've ever met. I love him so much, but I'm worried about him."

Caith was quiet for a moment, and she could sense him silently agreeing with her even as his arm tightened around her shoulders. Finally he rubbed her shoulder and exhaled. "It'll be okay, Bren."

"Be okay, Mama," Irini agreed in a solemn voice that made Brenna chuckle, and helped lift some of the heaviness from her heart. Moments later, they reached the main house again, and as she carried her daughter inside, she was struck by its warm glow, that despite everything, had always signified _home _in her mind.

Even though she'd left at a young age, she'd always known that this place was here, waiting for her, and it had always provided a measure of comfort; more than that, though, she valued her brother and his family, and yes, even her mother.

They were all inside; Edme and Tav having come in from her commute to town, and the clones as well, all of whom had flourished under Jensine's strict but caring eye. The moment that she and Iri entered the dining room, Bren was greeted with warmth and light; Caith took Iri and set the little girl in her feeding chair while Bren took a seat next to Jesse and accepted a plate of nerf-steak and topatoes.

"Good, you're here," Jensine said, sitting up from where she sat at the head of the table. "Is he...?"

Brenna shook her head and met her mother's eyes. "Rex is checking out the far pastures; he said not to wait for him." He'd said nothing of the kind, but she didn't feel like going into the gory details at the moment.

Thankfully, her mother seemed to understand; Jensine nodded and began to ask Edme about the other woman's work teaching at the local college, and for a little while, the chatter rolled off of Brenna's back as she allowed herself to get a little lost in the eddies of conversation.

At one point, Jesse leaned over to her and gave her a small but encouraging smile. "Don't worry about him, Bren. He's just a stubborn _di'kut_ sometimes, but he'll see reason, eventually."

She couldn't help but smile back; she wondered how much of her and Rex's disagreement was known by everyone in the family. It was one of the curses about living in such close proximity with others: there was little in the way of true privacy. "I hope so."

"Yeah," the tattooed clone replied with a nod. "I mean...it's been hard for all of us, you know? But Rex is one of those guys who carries the weight of the galaxy on his shoulders, whether you ask him to or not. Guess that's just the way he was engineered. Anyway, he'll come around."

Jesse gave her another, warmer smile, and a part of her was glad that he'd seemed to take so well to this life. Another part of her wished Rex shared his generally positive outlook, though it was a fleeting wish. "Thanks, Jess."

"Sure," he replied. "And...for what it's worth, even though you guys aren't...you know, you're already 'sister' in my mind, because he...you know...loves you. He really does. Just so you...er...know."

As he spoke, his ears turned bright red and he coughed into his hand, which made her smile again. Kix sighed and nudged the tattooed clone's side, as if to get his attention. When Jesse looked back up, his face was still flushed with embarrassment, and he nodded to the center of the table, to a small basket that was in her reach. "Please pass the rolls?"

* * *

As the final edge of the sun was engulfed in the mountains, Rex spotted the anooba.

Standing just outside of the perimeter fence, the mountain anooba's coat was a shaggy, thick charcoal, and when it turned, Rex caught the faint gleam of saliva on the bottom edge of the horny beak that served as its lower jaw. Long, slender ears trailed out from either side of the anooba's head, and its tail, tufted and ridged with bony protuberances, lashed in agitation as it caught Rex and Nova's scent.

Mountain anoobas such as this one were nocturnal and generally solitary; they were also larger and a great deal more intelligent than other subspecies of anooba, and as the last glint of light caught this one's eyes, Rex noted that its gaze was fixed on himself and Nova, and that it did not appear to be concerned in the least by their presence.

Nova made a low, throaty sound, and her feet danced nervously as if she were anxious to run; Rex had caught the outline of the anooba from a fairly safe distance, but he knew how quickly the kriffing things could move.

This one was also _big_, even for a mountain anooba, and he realized at once that it was that it was the most likely culprit behind the death of the escaped vilpaca he'd found early that morning. He had to put an end to it; not only did the creature represent a threat to the stock, but should it wander too close to the house...well, he didn't want to think about the harm it could do to an innocent child.

Very slowly, Rex gathered up the reins in his left hand, then slid his right down to the leather holster, where he'd replaced his blaster-rifle before he'd left the house. Beneath him, Nova snorted and tossed her head, the scent of the predator naturally causing her distress, and the anooba's ears flicked forward with interest. As he pulled out the rifle, Rex murmured a few soothing Mando'a phrases to the quagga and sat back in the saddle, alerting her with his body that she was to hold still. A part of him was apprehensive about firing the weapon this close to Nova, for he'd never done so while mounted, but dismounting would take too much time as well as put himself at a greater tactical disadvantage.

The anooba's nostrils flared and its eyes gleamed in the darkness. Nova was trembling beneath him, so Rex spoke again even as he raised the weapon, making sure his movements were fluid and steady while he murmured to the quagga. "_Udesii_, Nova. _Udesii, ner mirdala_ _Nov'ika_..."

It was a little difficult to see the creature amid the growing darkness, and for one moment Rex wished for the night-vision option contained in his old HUD, but he knew he could manage without. He aimed directly at the anooba's chest. Nova shifted beneath him, but it was a small movement, and all of Rex's focus was on the predator anyway. His finger squeezed the trigger.

The shot of blue plasma illuminated the darkness, and the next thing that Rex knew, Nova gave a terrified whinny and reared back on her hind legs. Even as he felt himself falling, Rex tucked his body into a roll and allowed himself to hit the grass with a _thud _that knocked the breath from his lungs. Hoofbeats, moving away from the thick, acrid scent of plasma. The moment he could, he righted himself – he'd not dropped the rifle, thankfully – and took stock of his surroundings, but the anooba was nowhere in sight.

Nor was Nova.

* * *

_Thank you for reading! _

_Next time: making out...er, I mean "up." ;) _


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

It was almost full-dark by the time Rex spotted his wayward quagga. Thankfully she hadn't run too far; when he called to her, Nova's head swung his way and he thought for one moment that she looked a little guilty. Reins trailing in the stubby grass, the quagga approached him slowly. Her ears canted forward as he continued to speak to her in a soothing voice, letting her know that he wasn't upset with her for tossing him to the ground and taking off. Rex knew well enough how fear could get the better of someone, and didn't begrudge Nova such a thing.

"Easy, girl," he said as he collected her reins. "Good girl. Good _Nov'ika_."

The moon overhead was not full, but it was close to it, and when the clouds were brushed away from its edges by the wind it provided enough light to see the surrounding slopes of grassland and the mountains in the distance. After a cursory examination to make sure that Nova was unharmed, Rex patted her neck again and swung himself into the saddle; however, Nova's head lifted and she turned towards the direction of the Damaris' homestead, then let out a querying whinny. An answering neigh met Rex's ears, and he squinted in the moonlight, wondering who it was that had come to meet them.

For one moment he thought – hoped – it was Brenna, but when he spotted the figure astride the approaching quagga's back, he knew at once that it was Caith. Happy to see another of her kind, Nova whickered again while Rex lifted his own hand in a greeting, a gesture that Caith returned once he'd cantered up. Now that he was closer, Rex could see that Brenna's brother was dressed similarly to himself: a thick, wool coat and sturdy boots, with a warm, knitted cap that covered his ears. For one moment, Caith studied Rex with eyes that were so close to Brenna's, it made him look away, then the other man cleared his throat.

Before Caith could say anything, Rex thumbed the direction he'd seen the anooba. "I found the culprit that killed that villie this morning."

"Jesse said it was a mountain anooba?"

Nodding, Rex angled Nova around. "A big one; he was on the other side when Nova and I spotted him, but this morning I found a breach in the fence-line. Honestly, this fellow was large enough...he could have just jumped over the barrier."

Caith was quiet for a beat, then he nodded as well. "Show me where you saw it?"

Without another word, Rex urged Nova into an easy canter, and he and Caith made their way back towards the section of fence that crested a grassy hill. Beyond the fence, Rex could see the adjacent valley that sloped down and away from the Damaris' land; beyond that were mountains, now bathed in shifting silver and black as the clouds moved across the moon. It was getting colder.

"Here," Rex said, indicating the patch of scrubby, autumn grass where he'd seen the anooba. "I tried to get a shot in, but Nova wasn't entirely pleased with me firing a blaster while on her back."

At this, Caith slanted a sideways glance at the former captain. "She's young, yet. You're doing a fine job training her." He looked back over the ground, then urged his own mount into a walk so that he was standing right at the fence-line. "I imagine it'll be back tonight as well; Mom put all of the villies into the stables for now, though that can't last."

"Not enough room," Rex agreed, thinking of the shaggy, petulant creatures.

A quiet chuckle met his ears; a glance showed Rex that Caith was smiling and shaking his head. "Those damn things...Mom loves them, though."

"I guess someone has to."

Caith laughed again, then looked over at Rex. "Thank you for all of your help, Rex. You and your brothers have really made a huge difference to this place; I haven't seen it run this well since before Dad died. We're all really grateful that you're here."

But Rex was shaking his head. "I'm the one who should be thanking you, Edme and Jensine. And Brenna." He hadn't meant to say her name, and his chest felt a little tight after he did.

Caith didn't miss a beat, and eased the conversation along. "Ed and I love it here, we really do. I forgot how much I love it in the country...she doesn't even mind the commute." He paused, exhaled. "I think I could stay out here forever."

"You have a home, though," Rex replied, frowning a little in thought. "A nice one, from what I remember."

"It is nice, but it's not...here," Caith said, his voice almost wistful. He paused again and Rex saw his eyes close, briefly. "After our dad died, I didn't want to stay; I moved to Belleau-a-Lir as soon as I could. Met Edme, got married, then bought that little house. But I stayed nearby...now I think it's because a part of me knew I'd never be happy anywhere else."

His face turned towards the sky again and he inhaled before he spoke again. "As soon as she got old enough, Brenna did the same thing, but unlike me, she left it all: Mom, the ranch, me...the whole world. She wanted _more_."

_She deserves it, _Rex thought, but he kept silent, waiting.

Finally, Caith's voice sounded again, quiet amidst the slight shush of wind and the shifting of quagga hooves against the grass. "Dad was killed when she was so young. Did she ever tell you what happened?"

"A little," Rex replied. "She was only six, right? Some kind of speeder accident?"

Old pain, sharpened by the wind and the moonlight, appeared on Caith's face and he nodded slowly. "Yeah. I was eleven. It was so sudden. He left to go to town. He never came back."

Rex looked away from Caith, as he felt like he was intruding on some private moment, but the other man continued. "I remember...after we found out, Mom went for a ride and didn't return for hours and hours, and Brenna kept asking me why everyone left us, and when they were coming back. I had to explain to her that Dad wasn't coming back."

Guilt pierced Rex with more surety than any blaster-bolt, because he'd left, too. Perhaps Caith sensed the feeling, somehow, he cleared his throat and shifted his quagga closer to Nova. "She knows it's not the same thing that you did, Rex. Not even close. She loves you."

"I know," he replied in a quiet voice. "I love her, too."

Caith nodded. "I know you do. But Rex, sometimes, love isn't enough. It's no guarantee of a lasting relationship. Nothing is guaranteed, nothing is ever certain."

For all that he felt he understood little of civilian life, Rex knew that fact very well; as a soldier, he'd seen how quickly a situation could change, how easily everything could go from good to horrible. "Yeah, I'm aware of that."

"Great," Caith replied evenly. "Then you're also aware that love is hard, but building and sharing a life...it's infinitely harder, damn near impossible. Sometimes I think – no, I _know_ – I lucked out with Edme." He cleared his throat; the fullness in his voice fading to a softer register. "I'm really thankful that I found her, and that she puts up with me. There's no one else I'd want to raise my son with."

For a long moment, Rex didn't answer.

Sometimes he wished he could shut off his mind, or at least ebb the tide of thoughts that never ceased to worry at him, but he couldn't. And while he understood that Caith had his and Brenna's – and Iri's – best interests at heart, a part of Rex felt a swell of bitterness, because there was so much that Caith, with all of his good intentions and kindness, just didn't understand.

Nothing was guaranteed, nothing was certain, but that understanding didn't change anything for him, because _he _was fundamentally the same.

Half a life. Half a man. It was no way to raise a child.

Eventually, Caith exhaled into the darkness; in Brenna's uncanny fashion, he seemed to know exactly what Rex was thinking, and Rex idly wondered if Caith was that intuitive, or if he himself was just really easy to read. "I know that I don't understand everything that's on your mind right now, like you and your brothers' accelerated aging, but I do know that people have survived much worse things. A relationship is only as strong as those who are a part of it, and it will only last if you both fight for it. Rex, if you _really_ want this, if you want to be with her, you'll figure out a way to make it work despite any obstacle."

"I can't fail her, or Iri," Rex replied, looking back at the mountains; upper level winds had pushed away most of the clouds and the jagged peaks were coated in silver. The entire valley seemed like something out of a dream, and it was only when he shivered from an errant gust of wind that he knew it was real. "There's so much harm I could do to that little girl."

He heard Caith open his mouth to object, but Rex continued anyway. "You said so yourself; Brenna was so hurt when her father died...I couldn't put Iri through that."

"This is different."

"Because we all _know_ that a swift death is coming for me?"

The other man winced, but shook his head. "Because sometimes the _right_ thing isn't the _easiest_ thing. Is it better to keep yourself at a distance from Iri until the day you do die? So she'll grow up without a father altogether?"

"It's selfish," Rex countered. "It's selfish of me to put her through that, just so I can pretend to be her dad for a few years. She's already lost one father," he added, thinking of Tucker. "It's not fair that she should lose another."

"Tucker was _never_ her father," Caith replied at once, his voice full of conviction. "Maybe he died with honor, but he didn't live with it, at least as far as I'm concerned. As for you...Rex, you don't strike me as the kind of guy who _pretends_ to be anything."

There was a pause, then Caith spoke again. This time his tone held an edge that Rex rarely heard from the other man. "Yes, Rex. You will grow old and die much sooner than you should – as many people in the galaxy die before their time – but in the meantime...it's a much worse thing for you to distance yourself from Iri and Bren because of what you fear may come in the future. It's so much worse to sacrifice what you have _now _for what might be, _one day._"

It was similar to a Jedi teaching that Rex had heard General Kenobi say to Ahsoka once, a long time ago: _be mindful of the future, but not at the expense of the moment. _

Beneath him, Nova shifted and he absently scratched her neck as he considered the words. It went against everything he'd thought was right, because in his mind, the act of raising a child was the very essence of being mindful of the future. _But not at the expense of the moment. _An inhale brought him the chill of the wind and the moonlight. "I guess."

He expected Caith to get annoyed at his reticence, but the other man only gave a tired laugh, then turned his mount back towards the direction of the ranch. "Come on, Rex. Let's go home."

"She's angry with me," Rex replied. "Isn't she? I mean...I stormed out like a _di'kut. _I'd be angry with me."

Caith's reply was filled with compassion. "It'll be okay, Rex. Just...come back."

It was something else that Brenna and Caith shared, something that Rex had a hard time wrapping his mind around: the innate faith that things would work out as they should, that everything would "be okay." He wished he could share the sentiment, but he'd seen far too many things turn out the wrong way, and wondered if he had faith, any more.

But Caith was right about one thing: it was time to go back. Rex nodded and nudged Nova with his heels, and together the two men began to make their way across the open pasture; within a few moments – less time than Rex always imagined – he could make out the warm glow of the house, where Brenna was, and he thought: _home, at last._

* * *

Iri hadn't wanted to sleep in her crib, so Brenna – whether out of guilt or her own loneliness – had obliged her daughter; together, they were curled up on the bed that she and Rex shared, the one in her childhood bedroom at the top level of the house, and Brenna was reading aloud from one of the children's holo-books that her sister-in-law had given Iri.

"_I am a honey bee,_" she read, arm around her daughter as the little girl studied the flickering images of the holo. "_Shut out from the colony. And they won't let me in. So I left the hive; they took away all my stripes, and broke off both my wings_."

"Sad bee," Iri broke in, her fingers reaching for the wavering illustration of a despondent-looking honeybee, looking in the direction of a hive.

Brenna nodded and smoothed out Iri's hair. "She is, isn't she? Let's see what she does, now."

There was a pause while she flicked to the next screen, which showed a thick forest, the leaves of the trees shivering as if rocked by the wind; an assortment of birds and other woodland creatures rested on their branches. "_So I'll find another tree, and make the wind my friend. I'll just sing with the birds; they'll tell me secrets of the world."_

Iri beamed. Brenna had to smile as she watched her daughter absorb the images in the picture; it really was a lovely, well-done holo, and she thought that she'd have to remember to thank Edme again for bringing it to her. She made to flick to the next screen, but Iri protested, so Brenna kissed her daughter's head and let her look.

While Iri studied the picture, Brenna glanced at the chrono on the nightstand and cast a look outside, through the curtains to the darkness beyond. As he'd said he would, Caith had saddled up one of the quagga and gone to find Rex, but neither of them had returned yet, and Brenna was starting to worry. She knew that there was little real danger for a soldier like Rex in the countryside, and both he and her brother were well-aware of what dangers there were, which meant that the reason that Rex had not yet returned was...

Because he didn't want to.

Her chest was tight and her heart had started to beat a little faster with the idea. _He won't leave, _she told herself, stroking Iri's hair absently. _He loves you. He's not going anywhere...you know that. _

But despite her best efforts, her past mistakes danced at the forefront of her memory. Arcas, the first man she'd ever loved – the only man she'd loved, until Rex came along – had left shortly after she'd admitted how she felt for him. Perhaps she'd said the words too quickly, but to just take off with no warning...?

And Tucker had left as well when things between him and Brenna had gone from "fun" to "serious." She'd never loved the clone, not like she loved Rex, but Brenna thought that they could have at least _tried_ to make it work. He could have – should have – stayed around, for Iri's sake. But he'd run away, too.

_And Dad..._

She shook her head in an effort to bury the memories that she worked so hard to forget.

Anyway, all of that was in the past. Rex was his own man, a good and honorable one, and she knew that she just needed to be more patient. _He just needs time_, she thought, then felt a dark chuckle rise in her throat, because it was an ironic and painfully true thought.

Rex needed time, in more ways than one.

"Mama!" Iri's voice tugged her out of her reverie; the toddler was pointing at the holo. "Next?"

Nodding, Brenna reached around Iri and activated the next image: another honeybee from the first was sitting in what appeared to be an empty room in the hive, and he was looking out of a small window with a sad expression on his face. She cleared her throat. "_But my other honeybee is stuck where he doesn't want to be-"_

That was when the old-style rattlebang door to the bedroom opened, and Rex entered. At first his steps were hesitant, as if he was uncertain of the welcome he'd get, but she looked up and met his eyes, feeling relief swell in her heart. However, she didn't want to make a scene in front of Iri, or give the child any indication that something was wrong, so she only inclined her head to indicate that he should approach.

As he did so, Irini beamed up at him. "Rex read too?"

"Sure, kiddo," he replied, casting another cautious look at Brenna.

In response, she smiled at him, then scooted over towards the side of the bed so that there was room for all three of them. He met her eyes and smiled as well – still tentative, but hopeful, too – and after he'd removed his boots, he settled in on Iri's other side, sitting upright as Brenna was so that they were surrounding the little girl.

"Where are we?" he asked, looking down at the holo. Brenna pointed out where she'd stopped, and he nodded, then cleared his throat and began to read aloud. _"But my darling honeybee, I'll come save you even if it means I'll have to face the queen."_

At this, Iri gave a delighted giggle and indicated that they should flip to the next image. Above the toddler's head, Rex shot Brenna a somewhat abashed look, and she smiled at him again as she activated the holo. The next image was of the forest again, but this time it was filled with all manner of creatures, with the heroine of the holo at the center, surrounded by her new companions.

Rex paused to scan the picture, then continued: _"So, I'll come prepared; my new friends said they would help me get my loved one back. They say it isn't right, that the bees have control of your mind, but I chose not to believe that."_

He paused again and glanced at Brenna with a lifted brow, so she took over. _"So we'll meet in the darkness of the night, and I promise I will be there on time." _

The next image showed a veritable swarm of birds, butterflies and other insects, circling around the hive where the heroine had come from initially, with the heroine at the front, a determined look on her somewhat humanized features. As Iri studied the picture, Brenna continued reading. _"We'll be guided by my new friends, the butterflies, and they'll bring us back to our own little hive. _That's good, isn't it, sweetheart? See all the butterflies?"

Iri gave a huff as if she was frustrated with Brenna's commentary, and looked up at her mother. "_Read,_ Mama."

Beside the little girl, Rex chuckled and Brenna rolled her eyes. "That's 'please read, Mama,' young lady." In response, Iri snuggled back into the pillows, her gaze fixed on the holo, though Brenna could see that her lashes were starting to droop.

There was a pause, then Rex looked at Brenna again. "Looks like we're about done. Let me finish?"

Brenna nodded, so he leaned forward and activated the holo so that the last image appeared. This one showed the two bees reunited at last, happily buzzing around the forest with their 'hands' joined. Rex began to read, his rich voice filling the air between the three of them, and Brenna noted that Iri's eyes were closing in earnest, now, as if the sound of Rex's voice was soothing enough to put her to sleep. _"Oh, my darling honeybee, no longer stuck where he doesn't want to be. Oh, my darling honeybee..."_

As he read, Brenna watched his hand slip behind Iri's back, reaching for Brenna herself. When it came to rest against her own cheek, she couldn't help but lean into his touch; his hands were cool from being outside, but the press of his fingers to her skin was welcome, and when she reached her own hand up to cover his, she felt his skin begin to warm. "_I have saved you," _he read, tilting his head as his eyes flickered over to hers._ "And now that you're with me, we can make our own honey."_

For the space of a heartbeat there was silence as he glanced down at Iri, who was now fast asleep. "Am I that boring?"

Even though she was chuckling, Brenna began to carefully extract herself from the bedclothes. "Let her sleep. In a little bit, I'll move her to her room. She doesn't like it as much as she likes this bed."

Rex nodded and rose as well, bending to collect his boots before he followed Brenna out of the room and into the hallway. Once she shut the door behind her, they looked at each other for a moment before speaking, and when they did, it was simultaneously.

"Rex, I'm sorry-"

"I'm so sorry, Bren-"

There was a pause, during which she watched him smile and felt a corresponding expression creep across her own face; after that, she indicated the stairs. "Maybe we should take this elsewhere?"

For the most part, the house was dark and quiet; most of the others had gone to bed, though as Brenna and Rex made their way down the stairs and into the living room, she spotted Jesse and Coric seated on the couch, watching a holo of a recent bolo-ball match with the volume turned low. Both men inclined their heads at the couple, and she saw Rex's eyes flicker to the screen with interest before he glanced at her. "Outside?"

It was difficult to find a place for true privacy, sometimes, so she nodded. After pausing to collect a warmer coat and scarf, and to let Rex replace his boots and slide on his own jacket, they stepped out the front door and onto the wide, wrap-around porch that covered the front of her mother's house. Outside, the scrubby, autumn ground was bathed in silver from the moon, and she was reminded of Ithor for a moment. It felt like a long time ago, though in reality it was only about a year since that mission.

Since then, so much had changed.

A gentle creaking sound alerted her to the fact that Rex had taken a seat on the wooden bench-swing that hung from twin chains at the far end of the porch; Brenna stepped across the slats of the porch to join him, and for a moment they sat beside one another, a hand-span apart, looking out into the moonlight. When the wind brushed across them, it rifled through her hair and sent a chill across her skin, but she resisted the urge to rub her arms.

Instead, she glanced at Rex, noting that he seemed tense again even though he met her gaze. "I'm sorry, Rex," she began.

"No, Bren, I'm-"

"Let me go first?" At her words, he ducked his head in a nod. She smiled softly and reached for his right hand, taking it in both of her own; neither one had worn gloves and already his skin was cool. "I should have been more compassionate. Everything in your life has changed so completely and so quickly, and I know that you've got a lot on your mind."

He inhaled, but said nothing; she could tell by the watchful way his eyes were fixed on hers that he was waiting to see if she had anything else to add. Here, she took a breath and gave his hand a squeeze. "I shouldn't have bought those rings. But I can't help how I feel. I can't help wanting what I want."

"To marry me." His voice was uncertain and quiet, and as he spoke he studied their joined hands as if trying to work out a puzzling bit of intel. After a moment he looked up and met her eyes, which was when she continued.

"I know it won't...fix anything, Rex. I know it won't cure your aging, or even make you stop worrying about it. I know that it won't help me get over my own fears." She took a deep breath and felt his other hand reach up to cover both of hers. "But it's what I want. _You_. For the rest of however much time we'll get, and I'm trying to be patient and not worry that you'll leave, but it's...difficult."

Almost-golden eyes held hers and his head shook, slowly. "I'm not going anywhere, Bren."

There was so much certainty in his voice; it heartened her, because lately he'd seemed uncertain about so many things. Something that had been knotted up small and tight within her chest relaxed, just a little bit, and she nodded. He seemed to feel a little better as well, for he shifted closer to her on the swing, causing it to creak under him. "I do want to marry you," he added. "And...be Iri's father, if I can. But right now, even with your help, and with Caith's and the others...it feels like uncharted territory for me. I haven't got the first clue about being a parent."

"And you think I did?" She squeezed his hand. "No one does, Rex. It's not like you get a reg manual when you find out you're pregnant. You learn as you go."

He was quiet for the space of a few breaths, and she watched his forehead crease as he thought over her words. "You'll be okay," she added as she pressed herself closer to him, for the wind had picked up and she felt herself starting to shiver. "You'll learn. It's not something that anyone can master overnight. Caith says that he still feels like he has no idea what he's doing, and his son is almost seven."

She was gratified when a low chuckle escaped from Rex, and again when he extracted his hand from her grip so that he could encircle her shoulders with his arm. The warmth of his body enveloped her and she relaxed into his side as he spoke. "I suppose that's true, but it's...strange to me, still. And Bren...my aging. That's not something that I can forget about, even for a minute."

There was a weighted pause, during which she twisted her head around so that she could look at him again. "Brenna," he said in a quiet voice. "I want to marry you, but I need more time."

"I know."

"But I love you," he added, rubbing at her shoulders through the material of her coat. "And Iri's wonderful. I just-" He gave a sigh that was pure frustration and hugged her closer. "I don't know."

Neither one spoke for a few minutes; instead, they watched the shadows of the clouds, obscuring the moonlight that covered the grassy yard. Brenna's own eyes felt a little heavy, and she knew she was getting tired, but she was actually rather comfortable here, close to the man she loved, even though her face was chilled from the wind. Finally Rex spoke again, the timbre of his voice filling her ears and her heart. "I'm sorry for storming out. I was just...frustrated by the situation. And..."

"Scared."

He exhaled again. "Yeah. But that's no excuse for my behavior." She wanted to say something to ease him, but before she could think of anything, he rubbed her arm again, a quiet chuckle escaping him as he did so. "I know I'm a rookie at being a father, but I guess I thought that I had this 'relationship' stuff down."

She had to laugh at this. "I think it's the kind of thing that always evolves."

Again, the half-smile that she loved, that he knew she loved. "As I'm learning."

With that, he reached up with his free hand and tilted her chin to him so that he could give her a kiss. The wind had cooled him as well, but the moment their lips met she felt a ripple of heat pass through her body and suddenly the air wasn't quite as cold. The kiss began slowly, because they were each still tentative; gradually, it strengthened, bloomed, until she heard herself make a small noise of pleasure as her body turned to better fit against his, and her hands reached up to cup his cheeks, his cool skin starting to heat.

When they parted, Brenna noted that his breath was a little short. Hers was, too, and she felt a rather silly grin cross her face. Rex tilted his head and slid his hand around to the back of her neck, pulling her close so that when he spoke his warm breath feathered her mouth. "What's so amusing?"

"I think it's time we made up properly." As she spoke, she kissed him after every other word, the kisses starting gently but increasing in strength until he gave a wordless murmur and embraced her again. After a few more minutes, when she realized that she was actually a little too warm in her coat and scarf, she stood up from the bench and took his hand, feeling her pulse leap when she saw the gleam in his eyes.

They made their way back into the house, through the now-empty living room, up the stairs and to Brenna's old bedroom. Once she opened the door and her eyes fell on her sleeping daughter, she shot Rex a wry look. "I can put her in her room," she whispered as he stepped past her into the bedroom. "It'll just take a second."

He shook his head, then moved forward to the bed, where Iri was curled up with one of the pillows. With extraordinary gentleness, Rex gathered the little girl in his arms and made his way back to Brenna, where he paused. "She's in her sleep-things...should I just set her down in her bed?"

Brenna nodded; she followed him out of her old bedroom and back down the flight of stairs, to the level where many of the other bedrooms were located, including the one that Iri and her cousin Tavi shared. Tav was asleep in his own bed, no doubt having been tucked in by Caith and Edme some time ago.

As Brenna watched, Rex approached Iri's bed – smaller than the one that he shared with Brenna and with a safety rail along the side – and paused. There was a moment of hesitation on his part, though after he transferred Iri so that she was resting against his chest while he held her with one arm, he reached down to draw the blankets aside. With the greatest care, he used both arms to set her tiny body into her bed, then replaced the blankets over her sleeping form.

It wasn't particularly complicated, but he'd never done this before. Always, he'd let Brenna handle getting Iri ready for bed, though he would watch her every move.

Right now, she understood that the action was one small way he was trying to move past his fears, and she felt her heart swell with love. It expanded further when she saw him stroke some of Iri's baby curls away from her face before he turned back to Brenna, wearing a hopeful expression. In response, she smiled at him.

He smiled back, then turned to look at Iri; because her bed was beneath a window, there was a faint silver cast to the little girl from the moonlight, and Brenna watched as Rex's brow furrowed again. When he spoke, his voice was so quiet that she thought he may have been talking to himself. "What are we going to do?"

But she knew the answer. "We keep going. We figure it out, and Rex," she added in a whisper as she put a hand on his shoulder, drawing his gaze to her. "We do it together, no matter what."

This time, his smile was softer, but she thought came from someplace deeper inside because there was an answering strength in his reply. "Sounds like a plan."

After a beat they slipped out of the children's room and into the hallway. As Rex shut the door behind them, she shot him a look. Some of the ardor had faded and it occurred to her that he was probably hungry, since he'd skipped dinner. "I saved you a plate," she offered. "We can heat it in the nanowave."

Rex's eyes glinted in the darkness, and although she wasn't cold anymore she felt a shiver pass over her, one that was heightened when he placed his hand at the small of her back. "Later," he said, drawing her close so he could kiss her. "We still have some making up to do."

* * *

_The words to Iri's picture-book-holo are reprinted without permission from "Honey Bee," an adorably sweet song by a gal named Zee Avi._

_Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you think so far if you have a moment. :)_

_Next time: The return of Chopper! Also plot stuff! Woo! :P_


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

The next morning came sooner than it should have, though Rex attributed such a thing to the fact that he and Brenna had been up far later than normal, first with making up – which he decided he rather liked – then with trying to sneak into the kitchen as soundlessly as possible in order to acquire some leftovers.

While he normally preferred to rise with the sun and begin his chores, Rex had decided to forgo such a thing today and remain where he was: beneath several layers of blankets with Bren curled up beside him. He thought that she felt the same way, for when his chrono alarm had begun blaring, she'd groaned wordlessly until he shut it off, then wrapped her arm around his chest as if holding him in place and exhaling into the crook of his shoulder.

They could hear some of the others moving around the house already, but no one disturbed either of them, and Rex's eyes drifted shut even as light from the rising sun began to trickle into their room.

For a few minutes, it was peaceful.

Suddenly, a piercing scream cut through the stillness of the early hours, causing Rex's eyes to snap open and his body to pull itself upright out of long-ingrained habit. Since his thoughts were still a little hazy from sleep, initially he acted on pure, battle-honed instinct: prioritize immediate problems, acquire necessary information, formulate a plan, then execute-

"Rex."

The shrieking was horrific, but the sound of his name shaped by Brenna's calm voice caused him to turn back to her; she'd sat up as well and wrapped the blankets around her torso. "It's okay," she said, which was when he realized he was halfway across the room. "It's Iri...she's awake, I guess."

With that, Brenna yawned and began to get out of bed as well, reaching for her clothes. After their impromptu midnight meal of the previous night, Brenna had indicated she was chilly, so of course Rex had offered to keep her warm. Things had progressed from there.

Anyway, Rex found himself significantly more awake now than he'd been a moment ago, and as he threw on his own clothing he shot Bren a look. "Is she okay? She sounds unhappy." The screaming heightened in pitch and he winced. "Louder than usual."

Dressed now, Brenna was moving to the door; the shrieking ebbed a little bit and allowed him to hear her next words, spoken in a dry tone. "I don't think she's a morning person."

Rex had to chuckle at this. However, before he could reply, his comlink began to chirrup from its place at the nightstand, and for a moment he was torn. As he moved to grab it, he looked up at Brenna, who'd paused at the doorway. "It's alright," she said with a nod. "I'll get Iri; you get your comlink. I'll see you downstairs."

"Copy that," he replied, smiling at her and thinking that they made a good team. Once she slipped out, shutting the door behind her, he glanced at the origin of the transmission, then activated his comlink. "Fives."

At first there was a hiss of static, but after a few seconds Rex heard the sound of his brother's voice. _"Hey, brother,"_ the former ARC said in a genial tone. _"I have a favor to ask."_

* * *

Several hours later, Rex and his brothers were gathered in one of the pastures about a klick from the Damaris house, waiting for Fives and Marliss to return. The day was overcast and a little cooler than the previous one, so Rex was thankful for his warm coat and hat, though he did enjoy the feeling of the brisk air on his cheeks as he peered up through a pair of electrobinoculars. Beside him, standing with his hands in the pockets of his own jacket, Jesse squinted up at the cloudy sky.

"How much longer, do you think?"

Finding nothing, Rex lowered the 'electros. Since he wasn't certain just how the quagga would react to the sight of the freighter that his brother and Marliss had acquired, he and the others had taken a speeder and a few bikes out to the landing-site, itself located at a low gully at the center of the pasture; even though Rex knew that the nearest neighbor was about twenty klicks away, he hoped that the dip in terrain would prevent the ship from being spotted by anyone. "Fives wasn't sure, but I don't think it'll be too much longer, Jess."

At his other side, Coric shaded his eyes with his hands and looked up as well. "I hope not. From what you said, it sounded like Chopper was in pretty bad shape."

"It'll be good to see him again," Jesse added, nodding to the 'electros in Rex's hand; the former captain passed them along and the tattooed clone took to peering through them at the sky. "Both of them."

"It will," Coric replied. "I must admit, I thought the worst had happened to Chopper."

Kix nodded but said nothing; all four of them studied the sky for a few moments more, waiting. Since that morning, when Rex had received the somewhat harried comm call from his brother, everything had happened very quickly.

Rex was thankful that Jensine had insisted that Chopper be brought here so that he could recuperate, though he was aware that another pair of hands – when the clone was healed, of course – would be useful around the ranch. He was also thankful that there was room on the Damaris ranch for another clone, though he wondered how Chopper would take to civilian life. Brenna and her family were at the house; Rex had thought it might be best to introduce Chopper to them slowly and not immediately surround him with strangers.

Beside him, Kix's voice sounded, quiet beneath the wind. "You said Fives had other news, too?"

This made Rex's brows knit, for he remembered well enough what had happened the last time that his brother had brought news, but he nodded slowly. "Yeah. Didn't say what, though."

"I suppose we'll find out soon enough."

"Look!" Jesse lifted his hand, raising the electrobinoculars to his eyes again. "I think that's their ship."

Sure enough, the clones heard a low buzzing sound that heralded the approach of Fives and Marliss' light freighter that they'd all come to know well these last few months. About a minute later, Rex spotted the rounded shadow of the ship as it moved through the lower-level clouds and began the final descent towards the Damaris' property; all of the clones braced themselves as they were buffeted by the wind and dust that the repulsors kicked up when the ship settled onto the grass several meters from their position.

While the whine of the maneuvering thrusters began to lessen, the loading ramp at the ship's side lowered and all the clones watched as Fives emerged, another clone leaning heavily against the former ARC as he shuffled down the ramp. As the trio descended, to be met by Coric and Kix with their medical supplies, Rex caught Fives' eye and gave his brother a relieved smile; it was always a little nerve-wracking waiting for Fives to return, but when he was here Rex couldn't help but feel like his family was complete again.

Fives grinned at him as well, and the group of clones met several paces from the freighter. Immediately, Coric and Kix greeted Chopper then began to assess him for injury; other than a few bruises and scrapes – and a messily-wrapped bandage on his right leg – it appeared that the scarred clone was intact, though Rex caught him flinching as the medics looked him over.

Once the medics had pronounced Chopper fit for the time-being, Rex reached for his brother's right arm, clasping it in his own in a firm gesture of greeting and trying not to notice how stricken the scarred clone seemed as he glanced around with wide, mismatched eyes. "Glad to see you again, _vod._"

Chopper swallowed and nodded, his grip tightening after a pause. "Me too, sir. I mean, I'm glad to see you."

Rex gave him a smile. "No 'sir,' Chopper. Just Rex."

"Right." Chopper glanced beside him at Fives, who was still helping to support his weight. "Can I walk, now?"

"Don't even think about it," Coric broke in, slipping himself under Chopper's other shoulder. "That leg needs to be properly wrapped, and you need a set of crutches."

"And we all need to talk," Fives added, glancing behind him at the ramp to the freighter, from which Marliss was emerging with a pack slung over her shoulder. Rex nodded to her; in response, she gave him a wry salute and a smile, and he chuckled, thinking that Bren would be happy to see her friend again.

The blonde woman came up to them and put her hand on Fives' waist though she spoke to Rex and the others. "He's right. We have some news."

"Not _bad_," Fives amended, seeing the looks on the others' faces. "Just..."

"Interesting," Marliss offered, and the former ARC shot her a grateful smile as he hugged her closer to his side. From there, it was decided that they should reconvene to the house itself, as much to give Coric and Kix a chance to work as to give them all a more comfortable place to speak. Once Marliss was satisfied that her ship would be fine, the group loaded up into the speeder and bikes, then set off for home.

* * *

About half an hour later, Chopper was seated at the Damaris' kitchen table, his leg propped up on an adjacent chair while Coric and Kix bent over him, cleaning and wrapping what looked to be a rather nasty gash. At the entrance of the clones, the "civvies" had vacated the house to tend to the quagga in the paddock, though Bren had paused to kiss Rex on the cheek, mentioning that she had 'good news,' and offering Chopper a wide smile before she whisked Marliss away. Iri had been in her mother's arms, and Rex had felt a gleam of pride when Chopper's eyes had flicked from the little girl to the former captain, though the laconic man didn't say anything about the child.

Chopper hadn't said much at all, actually, but Rex knew that was just his way; he figured that Chopper would speak about his ordeals over the last six months soon, but that it was better to give him space for the time being.

Jesse had put on a pot of caf a little while ago, and for a moment things felt oddly normal, for which Rex was grateful. As Fives sipped his caf, he glanced around the room with appreciation. "It's nice to be on the move, but it's also good to be back here," the former ARC said, his eyes falling on Rex. "Either way, I'm doing things on my own terms."

"We all are," Rex replied, adding another helping of sugar to his caf before drinking. "It's strange, sometimes, but it's a good kind of strange."

Nodding, Fives sat up and cleared his throat; when the others' eyes fell on him he lifted a brow at Rex. "Do any of you remember a long-neck by the name of Nala Se?"

Having finished bandaging Chopper's leg, Coric and Kix exchanged looks, then nodded simultaneously. "She was stationed on Kaliida Shoals MedCenter during the Wars, right?" Kix asked as he began to clean up the remnants of the supplies they'd used. "I remember her. She was one of the more...tolerable Kaminoans."

"The chief physician, if memory serves," Coric added.

Fives nodded. "Word is that she fled Kaliida Shoals after the Wars ended. There are rumors – _only _rumors, mind you – that she's living on Cyrillia, working on a way to normalize our accelerated-aging."

For a moment the silence was so thick Rex thought he'd misheard. As it was he blinked and gave a slight shake of his head as if to clear his ears. "What?"

The former ARC's mouth lifted into a smile. "You heard me, Rex." He sipped his caf again, seemingly calm, though Rex could tell that his brother was inwardly delighted that he was sharing this news. Indeed, a moment later, Fives spoke again. "I've a mind to track her down...see if she needs any help. What do the rest of you think?"

It was almost unreal; it was the closest thing to an answered prayer that Rex had ever experienced, so – naturally – he was uneasy to trust it. If it was true, he knew that he'd want to find her, but if not...well, he was unwilling to risk his new family's safety and stability based on a rumor. "Do you have any more information? Any way to validate the truth of all this?"

"No," Fives replied, shaking his head and glancing down at his mug. "But Mar and I are determined to look into it."

Coric and Kix looked about as skeptical as Rex, and Chopper was expressionless, as if he'd heard all of this before. Jesse's eyes were wide and his voice was a little awed. "But if it is true..."

"Either way, it's worth investigating," Chopper said suddenly, causing all eyes to fall on him. "It's something to hope for."

There was a bitterness to the scarred clone's words, and as much as Rex wanted to console his brother and hear about Chopper's experience since the Wars ended, he glanced back at Fives. "When are you leaving to start looking?"

"We were hoping to at least stay the night, here," Fives replied with a shrug. "After that, we're planning on doing a little more investigation as to the truth of the rumor; if it is true, we can come back and pick up anyone who wants to tag along on this adventure."

He said the words with unusual seriousness, and something in Rex's stomach twisted. Yes, it was what he'd hoped for, but the thought of leaving his family was...

_But it's for the greater good, _he told himself with an inhale. _Not just for us, but for all clones, everywhere._

"There's more." Fives shifted in his chair and sipped his caf. "We heard from Ahsoka again a few days ago."

The mention of his friend's name made Rex's breath catch; he'd known that she was still alive, but that was about it. "And?"

The former ARC paused, then leaned forward and wrapped his hands around his mug, meeting each clones' eyes in turn. "She's working with Bail Organa, and Mar and I are thinking of joining."

Rex knitted his brows, but it was Jesse who voiced the question. "Joining what?"

"A rebellion."

Again, silence filled the room. Finally, Fives leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful. "It's early days, yet, but there is a resistance to the Empire forming even as we speak. Ahsoka's teamed up with Senator Organa; they're trying to organize everything, and she asked me if I thought I'd like to tag along. I said I'd keep it in mind."

All the clones exchanged glances, but no one said anything for a moment. Rex's mind was reeling; in many ways it was an appealing idea, and he knew that he could definitely be useful to such a worthy cause. But his life – such as it was now – was _here_, and he didn't think he could leave.

"Anyway, that's about it," Fives replied with a shrug, sipping his caf again. "Oh, except Mar and I got married on Zeltros a few weeks ago."

Now, Rex was certain that his brother was relishing the stunned silence, for even as the other clones' jaws dropped – even Chopper's – Fives smirked and leaned back in his chair, setting his mug down so that he could fold his hands behind his head. After a beat, Jesse laughed and slapped Fives' back, the others getting up from their seats to do so as well; when Fives caught his eyes, Rex smiled and shook his head, though his gut had twisted again at the word 'married.'

Jesse lifted his mug and they all toasted their brother. "Married? _You_? I can't even begin to imagine..."

"Yeah, well..." Fives' face actually flamed. "It wasn't a big to-do, just a simple Mando'a phrase, you know? But we figured...why not? We love each other and we wanted to. In the end, it was an easy decision-"

"But it's not an easy decision," Rex interjected, unable to keep quiet any more. "It's a _huge_ responsibility, and there's so much to consider."

Fives arched his brow. "Like what?"

Rex exhaled and shook his head rapidly. "Like the fact that you're going to age at twice a normal rate from her, Fives. What happens if this lead on the long-neck is false, and you die well before she does?"

There was quiet for a moment, and Rex watched with satisfaction as the former ARC frowned as if in consideration. Finally, Fives shrugged and sipped his caf again. "We each live life by our own rules," he said at last, meeting Rex's eyes. "Mar's well-aware of my aging, which is one of the reasons she's so keen on finding Nala Se." He grinned. "Guess she likes having me around. Who knew?"

Again, Rex frowned. Fives' logic was so far-removed from his own point of view, it was impossible for him to understand how his brother could be so cavalier about the aging issue. But, he reasoned, Fives didn't have a child – not yet, Force willing – and therefore might be able to play things a little...looser than Rex could afford to.

With that thought, the wavering sense of calm that he'd felt last night in Bren's arms faded, and he realized with certainty that he would never be able to stop worrying about the pace of his own aging; among all of the other doubts he had about his ability to be a father and husband, the fact that he wouldn't be able to live out a normal life-span with his family was a fault that he couldn't overlook.

He had too much to live for, and not nearly enough time.

Perhaps sensing his dilemma, Fives gave the former captain a smile that was meant to reassure, and when he spoke, his voice indicated that he was offering a distraction. "You know, I knew that Mar was the girl for me when I mentioned that I wanted to go to Zeltros to...play, and she said, 'not without me, you're not.'"

At this, the other clones broke into a chorus of laughter; Rex even felt his own face break into a smile, despite his worry, because it was good to be with his brothers and relax, just for a little while. Seeing the former captain's expression, Fives grinned again and sipped his caf. "It made for a _very _memorable honeymoon, let me tell you."

At this, Coric wrinkled his nose in distaste. "Please don't."

With a lift of his brow, Fives happily ignored the former medic and proceeded with his story.

* * *

_Thank you for reading! _

_Next time: Bren's good news. (Hint: it's not baby-related :P)_


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

In the moments before Brenna had looked up to see Marliss enter the kitchen along with Rex and the other clones, she'd been gaping at her datapad, because it seemed like her prayers – such as they were – had been answered.

During her investigations into a potential job – one that might allow her to leave her mother's house again – she'd submitted her resume to a head-hunting company who provided job-placement services; this morning she'd received a message stating that she'd be a perfect fit for a job as a security tech for a company based on the world of Loronar. It was a rather lucrative position, and she knew that it was also an opportunity that she'd be foolish to pass up. Under the Empire, it seemed like jobs had become harder and harder to come by, and ones that paid as well as this one were even scarcer.

Of course, all of this depended on whether or not Rex would be willing to leave Alderaan; she honestly had no idea, but she was determined to speak with him about it as soon as she thought he'd understand her reasons for wanting to leave; she hoped that he'd be willing to try his hand at living somewhere else, even if it was just for a little while.

_We keep going. We figure it out, and we do it together, no matter what. _

"Mama! Down!" Iri's voice broke Brenna out of her reverie; she and Marliss were walking towards the paddocks behind the main house, where Jensine was working with one of the juvenile quagga that she hoped to sell at the next auction. Presently, Brenna's mother had the equine on a nylon lead, and she was putting him through his paces as he trotted around her in the circular paddock, learning to follow commands and cues from a human; it was the first step towards gentling the quagga so that they could be ridden.

Brenna was not about to risk Iri getting underfoot of the creature, so she shook her head. "Not right now, sweetheart."

Immediately, Iri broke into a shriek, her face turning bright red and scrunching up as she wailed, hoping to get her way with a tantrum. As she held her daughter to her chest, Brenna cast an apologetic look at her friend. "Sorry...she's pretty well into the terrible twos."

Marliss had winced at the shrill tone, but shook her head. "It's not a big deal, Bren."

From her place at the center of the paddock, Jensine glanced over at Brenna. "If she keeps that up, you'll need to take her away...she's disturbing Rico."

Indeed, the juvenile quagga's gait was disjointed and his ears were pressed back against his head, as if the sounds of the crying child had set him on edge. Brenna bit back the first comment that came to her mind, which was that Iri's well-being mattered more than any silly quagga, and instead glanced around, searching for a way to distract her daughter.

"Here," Marliss said after a moment, holding out her hands. "Mind if I take her? I've got younger cousins...I know a little bit about kids."

"You're sure?" _Fek, _Iri had a set of lungs on her, and the wailing was starting to hit a nerve in Brenna's mind. The blonde woman nodded, so Bren passed her the toddler; within a few moments, Iri quieted, seemingly mollified by the slight change in scenery and the fact that she was with Marliss again.

The ensuing quiet was a relief, so Bren cast her friend a smile, watching as Marliss bounced Iri on her hip and cooed at the little girl. "You're good with her."

"I never got a chance to spend much time with her when Fives and I were here last," Marliss replied, smiling as Iri's tear-streaked face brightened into a toothy grin. "But I do like kids." She paused, then shot Brenna a smile that was almost too big for her face. "Might come in handy, one day."

Now that Iri had quieted, they resumed walking towards the paddock, where Rico seemed to be at ease as well. There were a few barrels outside of the wooden fence, on which the women each took a seat, Iri still in Marliss' arms. The sky was overcast, the air temperature a bit cooler than before, so when a gust of wind lifted Brenna's hair, she felt a shiver across her skin. After she was certain that Iri was better, she glanced at her friend. "One day? Are you and Fives thinking of having kids?"

She'd never seen Marliss flush, not to this extent, but in that moment, spots of color appeared on the blonde woman's cheeks even though she gave what Bren figured was supposed to be a nonchalant shrug. "Maybe. For now, though, we're pretty happy with just the two of us or, as he put it, _riduur._"

Because it was the closest thing that Rex had to a heritage, Brenna had tried to learn a bit of Mando'a, so she recognized this word at once. "'Spouse?' Mar...did the two of you...?"

Marliss grinned outright and bounced her knees, causing Iri to jiggle up and down in her lap. "Yep. A few weeks ago, on Zeltros." She glanced at Brenna, who was struck by how completely happy her friend seemed. "The silly man wanted to go without me; since I wouldn't be left behind, we decided that we may as well make it official. It was really simple, actually," she added, brow furrowing. "Just a few lines of Mando'a. Much easier than having a big, fancy ceremony."

"Sounds it," Brenna replied, watching Iri's smiling face. "Marliss...that's wonderful. I'm really happy for both of you." After a pause, she reached around and hugged the other woman's shoulders. "But...Zeltros? Do I want to know...?"

Again, the blonde woman grinned. "I'll spare you the gory details, but let me just say that there aren't any secrets between myself and Fives after _that _trip."

They shared a laugh for a moment, though within her heart, Brenna was fighting back a swell of wistfulness. She felt a little ashamed for the feeling, because she truly _was _happy for Marliss and Fives, but the other woman's news only served to remind her that Rex had – essentially – rejected the idea of marriage between them. It shouldn't have mattered, she knew. What mattered was that they loved each other and were committed to one another no matter what, but a part of her – a silly part, she tried to think – wanted to be _officially _linked with the man she loved, the man whom she wanted to be a father to her daughter.

But none of this was Marliss' fault or concern, so Brenna smiled at her friend again. "You're an old married lady, now," she teased, nudging Mar's side with her elbow. "And I think it suits you. Next thing you know, you and Fives will be arguing about who gets to watch what on the holo."

"Oh, please," Marliss replied, though she was grinning again. "We do that already. Guess the magic's gone."

They shared another laugh at this, though Brenna noticed that her mother's head had inclined towards the women, as if she'd been listening. However, a moment later, Iri looked up at Marliss and gave her another grin. "Mar-reed lay-dee."

"That's right, honey," Marliss replied, bouncing her knees again. She cast Brenna a speculative look. "Has Rex recovered from the...news about the clone army and Palpatine? Fives was pretty upset about it for a long while."

"It's been...difficult," Brenna admitted, glancing down at the hem of her shirt as she toyed with it absently. "He took it really hard. Lately, he's gotten a little better, but I know that he's still bothered by it."

Well, that was putting it lightly, but she didn't want to dwell on the matter right now, as she suddenly felt far too tired. In any case, thoughts about the true nature of the clone army's creation were so tightly woven in with Rex's reasons for _not _wanting to marry her, so that thinking of the matter was even more painful than it should have been.

However, Marliss seemed to catch on to her thoughts, and the blonde woman gave her a knowing look. "How are the two of you doing? You've been together about a year, right? Do you think you'll get married?"

"It's not that simple," Brenna heard herself saying. "On top of everything else that he's got on his mind – the army, the Empire, his brothers who are still out there – it's hard for Rex to get past the idea that he..." She paused, trailed off and looked at her daughter, unwilling to speak about this particular subject so frankly in front of the impressionable little girl. "The idea of the clones' aging," she said at last, feeling her throat get tight.

"So he doesn't want to?"

Brenna tried to swallow her misgivings and her fears, because they served no purpose other than to upset her. "Not right now. If it were just me, I think he would but with...other things," she said, nodding to Iri, whose attention was fixed on the quagga in the paddock as she rested on Marliss' lap. "It's so much more complicated."

"It's only as complicated as you make it, Bren," Marliss replied after a moment.

"Maybe."

They were quiet for a moment, which was when Iri took the opportunity to try her luck again. "Down? Please?"

She sounded so hopeful; Marliss looked over at Brenna, her brow raised. Brenna didn't know if she had the energy to deal with another tantrum right now, so she decided to concede this time. "Okay," she said, meeting her daughter's eyes and giving her most serious look. "But you have to _promise_ that you will stay close by, Iri. I don't want you trying to go to the quagga, okay?"

Her daughter's face was solemn as the little girl nodded, and out of the corner of her eye, Brenna watched as Marliss bit back a smile. Within a few moments, the toddler was seated on the ground, staring open-mouthed at Jensine and Rico in the paddock before her.

Marliss chuckled at the toddler, then shot Brenna another glance. "There might be a way to fix the aging thing," she said in a quiet voice that made Brenna's heart leap despite herself. "Fives and I...we've heard rumors that there's some Kaminoan scientist working on a cure. We've a mind to track her down and see if it's true or not."

"And if it isn't?" Brenna didn't want to believe it would be that simple, that everything she longed for was within her reach, and couldn't help the faintest edge of bitterness that came to her voice. As much as she wanted to be positive and keep her hopes up, it felt difficult, right now.

The blonde woman exhaled and squinted up at the sky, which was still overcast. "Then we keep going."

There was another pause, then Brenna cleared her throat. "Other than getting married and starting a quest to stop the clones' rapid-aging...how's life on the move?"

"Glamorous, of course," Marliss replied with a chuckle. "Constantly on the run from Imperials, living on a small ship with a man who has the messiest bathroom habits I've ever seen – you'd think it'd be the opposite, since he's military – but there's no shortage of excitement, which suits me. Though..."

She trailed off and studied Brenna again; beyond them, Jensine was speaking in easy, soothing tones to the young quagga, who was now cantering around her. The rhythmic cadence of hoofbeats was oddly comforting to Brenna, despite the fact that she was often at odds with the equines. Finally, Marliss continued. "Fives and I have been...invited to join a cause. A forming resistance movement against the Empire."

The words were pitched low, barely reaching over the patter of Rico's hooves, and Brenna felt a chill pass through her that had nothing to do with the wind. "A resistance movement?"

Marliss nodded and folded her hands in front of her, leaning over so that her elbows were resting on her knees. "Right now, I don't see how I can do otherwise. Slavery's gotten so much worse since the Empire formed, you know? I keep thinking, if I can take part in stopping it, even a little bit...well, it's a good thing. Fives feels the same way, though he's also concerned with getting any clones out of the army who don't want to be there. But we're both leaning towards joining."

Despite herself, despite the fact that she was trying to trust, to remain patient and give Rex every opportunity to reach a place where he felt comfortable with the idea of a true future for them, Brenna felt a flare of unease at the idea of a resistance movement, because it was _exactly_ the kind of cause that she thought Rex would be interested in joining. It didn't matter that he'd told her he wasn't going anywhere, because when she looked into his eyes and saw that something was missing...

Well, this could be the thing that filled it.

It didn't help that her mind automatically turned to the other men she'd known, the ones who'd left her for various reasons, and while she knew that – logically – she was worrying for nothing, she couldn't help her feeling of apprehension.

Marliss was still speaking. "...this gang called the Red Star Ring, among them. Things have gotten so bad, this gang is actually kidnapping folks, and no one's able to find them again. No one knows what they're doing with these people, but I'm sure it's not good. And this is in addition to the normal slavers that roam around the galaxy, who are starting to operate on a larger scale than ever before; you hear stories about people – regular people – disappearing, only to turn up later being sold to a pirate gang or something."

As she spoke, her fists had balled in her lap, and her eyes were narrow. "The Empire promised peace, but all we've gotten is more lawlessness."

Brenna was quiet for a moment, absorbing the information and nodding slowly. Finally she glanced back at Iri, who was still watching the quagga. "It's hard everywhere from what I can tell. I can't believe I found a job, actually."

"A job?"

"On Loronar," Brenna replied with a nod. When she and Marliss had come outside, she'd left her datapad inside, so she elaborated. "It's a good one, though. Pays well, and it's in my field; they were really excited to hear about the work I did for the army. But...well, I haven't had a chance to talk to Rex about it. I'm not sure he'll want to leave Alderaan." _For this, anyway._

She considered a moment, then pitched her voice low so that only Marliss would be able to hear. "And – I know this is selfish of me – but Mom's driving me crazy. I don't know how much longer I can put up with her."

Marliss seemed to absorb the words, then she nodded slowly. "You have to do what's best for you and your daughter, Bren. And you know...I think that Rex would go with you, if you asked. I know the guys have all taken to life here pretty well, but a new location can't hurt."

"Maybe," Brenna replied, rubbing her hands along her upper arms as another breeze rifled through her jacket. Her gaze shifted to the sky, to the clouds that were rushing by far above her head as they were pushed by upper-level winds. "And it would be good to work again. I think that's part of the reason I feel...discontent, here."

Until she'd said the words, she hadn't known they were true. All of a sudden, she felt like she was thirteen years old again, staring at the sky and wishing that she were _anywhere but here. _Yes, a lot of pain had been caused by her leaving – her failed relationship with Arcas and her estrangement from her mother especially – but much happiness had happened, too. She'd found that she had a real talent in a particularly useful field of work, and she'd met Tucker, who – though he also had pain associated with him – had given her Iri, and there was no greater joy in Brenna's life than her daughter.

And, of course, leaving home had brought her to Rex. That thought made her smile, and she cast a glance towards the house, where he and the other clones were ensconced.

Seeing her smile, Marliss nodded, then patted Brenna's arm. "So maybe making a new home somewhere else – starting over, in a sense – might be a good option for the two of you."

Beyond them, Irini picked up a clod of dirt and grass and tossed it up, giggling as it was caught by the wind and blown away into nothing. As she watched her daughter, Brenna thought that perhaps Marliss' words were true as well; perhaps she and Rex just needed to make their own memories in a place where they could start fresh, build a new life from the ground up. The job with Loronar Corporation was well-paying enough that she thought they could live off of the salary – humbly, but it wouldn't be bad – and she still had money from her time with the GAR as well.

Brenna glanced around her, taking in the place where she'd been raised, where she'd spent most of her life. Every tree held a memory, every building had a connection to her past. Many were positive, but there were many that still brought sorrow, and she thought, _yes, it will be good to leave this for a little while. _Besides, it would be beneficial to Iri to spend some time on another world, because while toddlers needed a routine to follow, it was important to expose them to as many new experiences as possible.

"I'll mention it to Rex," she said after a moment, looking back at her friend. "You never know."

They sat quietly for a few more minutes before Brenna gave Marliss a knowing look. "Would you like to take a real shower before dinner? I can put your clothes on the wash as well." Marliss' green eyes grew wide and she nodded, so Bren indicated the house. "The guys have taken up the room that you and Fives used the last time you were here, but you can use the 'fresher that I share with Rex. Grab some of my clothes...I'll wash yours if you leave them on the bed."

Marliss gave her a grateful look. "That'd be wonderful...thanks, Bren."

With that, the blonde woman rose and made her way back to the house, waving at Caith, Edme and Tav, who were working in Caith's vegetable garden. Once her friend was gone, Brenna scooted off of the upturned barrel and sat on the ground next to Iri, who immediately looked her way.

"Mama play?" Brenna smiled at her and nodded; they spent the better part of about fifteen minutes playing a loose variation of 'I Spy,' though Iri kept getting distracted. As Brenna was thinking that it was time to head inside to give Iri a bath, the sound of approaching hoof-beats met her ears; a glance showed her that Jensine was preparing to bring Rico out of the paddock, so Brenna got to her feet and scooped up her daughter to ensure that she was well out of the way of the quagga's hooves.

As she brushed dust and dirt off of Iri's coveralls, Brenna watched Jensine lead the equine from the paddock and towards herself and her daughter. "Could I get you girls to help me rub Rico down?" the blonde woman asked as she approached. Her face was partially obscured by the wide-brimmed hat she wore, and her hands were tan and weathered. Perhaps Brenna frowned without meaning to, for Jensine sighed. "He's fine, Brenna. Honestly...you grew up around them; I don't know why you're so skittish."

"Pony!" Iri added, reaching out for the quagga, whose ears flicked forward towards the little girl.

Brenna shook her head. "She's too little, Mom."

"You and your brother were helping Garris and I almost the moment you could walk," Jensine replied, regarding Brenna in that way that always made her feel like she was a child again. "I don't see the harm in it."

"Mama," Iri exclaimed as she twisted around and gave Brenna a pleading look. "Pony? Please?"

"I have a few scars that would beg to differ."

At this, Jensine sighed again. "That was different; you fell off and spooked Frost with all your shouting. How many times have I told you that if you stay calm, they'll stay calm?"

"It's kind of hard to stay calm when you're six years old and you have a broken rib," Brenna replied with a glare. "Anyway, Iri needs a bath after playing in all that dust."

However, as she made to turn away, she heard her mother give a deep exhale. "Bren...I just wanted a minute to talk with you and spend a little one-on-one time with my granddaughter. That's all."

It wasn't an apology –_ is she even capable of doing so?_ – but Brenna immediately felt a sting of guilt for her annoyance, so she inhaled and counted to five, then looked back at her mother. "Okay. But if Rico even _looks _at her the wrong way, we're leaving." To her daughter, she said: "We'll go with Nana and the pony for a little bit, then it's bath time for you, young lady."

Even though a moment ago she'd been annoyed with her mother, Brenna found it difficult to remain so when her daughter beamed and wrapped little arms around her neck. "Pony! Nice Mama!"

_I hope you remember that,_ Brenna thought with a smile as she kissed Iri's cheek. Jensine chuckled and they began to walk towards the stables.

Several minutes later, after Jensine had tied Rico's halter to one of the open-sided grooming stalls and was running a currycomb across his coat, she glanced at Brenna, who was leaning against one of the walls, one hand in her daughter's to prevent Iri from getting too close. "I couldn't help but overhear some of what Marliss was saying, about her and Fives."

Something within Brenna pinged a warning, but she kept her voice neutral. "Oh?"

Jensine nodded and glanced back at Rico's striped neck as she brushed him, loose hairs and flecks of dust flying off of his coat with each pass of the curry. "Married. That's quite a step."

"I suppose."

There was a pause, during which Brenna watched as her mother gave her a very deliberate look over Rico's back. "Do you think that you and Rex will ever get married?"

It wasn't an unexpected question, as Brenna took pains to keep her relationship with Rex as private as possible when it came to her mother, and naturally, Jensine had an interest in her daughter's life. However, Brenna had no wish to discuss this matter again, let alone with Jensine, so she shrugged and kept her voice casual. "Maybe one day. But we've only been together a year, and things lately have been...hectic. A lot has changed for Rex – and for me – and we're just..."

She frowned and trailed off in thought. "We're just...taking things one day at a time, right now."

Jensine pursed her lips as she gave Rico's back one final swipe with the comb, then reached for a soft-bristled brush that would smooth the quagga's coat to a silky sheen. "Sounds like a lot of excuses, to me." As Brenna opened her mouth to object, Jensine continued. "You both love each other, from what I can tell, and Force knows he's good to that little girl of yours. The way I see it, there's no reason _not _to get married, and besides...I want to see you settled, Brenna."

While Iri giggled and reached for Rico, Brenna felt anger coiling within her, hot and trembling. _She's right, she's right, she's right._ Bad enough that she'd been thinking much the same things only minute ago, bad enough that she _wanted _such a thing to come to pass even though it probably wouldn't; it was too much, far too much, to have to discuss this with her mother, who'd essentially dropped out of her life years ago, and had only recently decided to re-enter.

"It's none of your business what Rex and I do, Mom," she managed to say after a moment of working to keep her calm. "Stay out of it."

"If it concerns the well-being of my child and grandchild," her mother countered, looking over Rico's back towards Iri. "It most definitely _is _my business."

Abruptly, Brenna straightened and collected Iri, because she couldn't stand to be in the same space with her mother any longer. Iri began to shriek with displeasure, but Brenna was past caring about that at the moment. Before she walked away, she turned and met her mother's gaze. "No, Mom, it's not. It has nothing to do with you. Worry about your own life and leave mine alone."

"Brenna-"

"I'm going to take care of my daughter," Brenna replied, belatedly realizing that she was trembling with anger. "See you later."

Before Jensine could reply, Brenna hurried towards the house.

* * *

_Sigh. Mothers and daughters...complicated stuff going on, there. I know things are still moving a little slow, but you were warned at the outset of this journey. :P _

_Thank you for sticking with me thus far. :)_

_Next up: discussions and decision-making._

_Also, it should go without saying but I'll say it anyway: this fic and TFK were written before the events of Season Five, so both will have to - regrettably - be considered AU. _


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

"All of this?" Chopper asked, his eyes wide as he took in the vista spread before the clones; Rex had halted the speeder at a particularly impressive view that overlooked the bulk of the property, with Zephyr Mountain at the horizon, seeming to touch the sky. "The Damarises own...everything?"

From his place beside Rex in the speeder, Caith chuckled. He'd been working in his vegetable garden while his wife and son helped, but when the clones had left the main house to take Chopper on a tour of the property, Rex had asked Brenna's brother to accompany them; the scarred clone was a bit wary of the civilian, but Rex thought that he needed to start getting used to it.

Caith indicated the rolling hills that led down to the main house. "This land has been in our family for several generations. The house itself has been rebuilt a few times in its history, and the quagga stables are pretty recent. But yes, Chopper," the brown-haired man said with a smile directed back towards the scarred clone, seated besides Coric. "Mom owns pretty much what you can see from here."

Jesse, Fives and Kix had taken speeder-bikes; though Rex would have preferred to ride, it was more sensible for the group to take vehicular transport for a tour of the property. At Caith's words, Jesse leaned over the handles of his bike and gave Chopper a knowing look. "Not a bad place to end up, huh?"

"It's good to have room to move," Coric added, shading his eyes with the flat of his hand as he surveyed the area; it was late afternoon and although the sky was overcast, the clouds themselves were quite bright.

Chopper nodded but said nothing, still apparently drinking in the sight of the Alderaani land. Finally he inhaled and Rex got the impression from the tone of the scarred clone's voice that it was an effort to speak. "It's...beautiful."

The men remained silent for a few minutes before Caith cleared his throat. "You're free to stay as long as you like, Chopper. Though, you will have to pitch in and help out around here. Mom doesn't give handouts."

"No, she doesn't," Jesse added with a laugh. "The first few weeks I had more blisters and bruises than my entire time in the army; you don't think of work around here as being _hard, _not like fighting, but wow..." He gave a low whistle. "It's tough."

"It's manual labor," Kix said, his bike creaking beneath him as he shifted. "It's quite different than what we were used to: running, fighting, marching...those are the kinds of things we were trained for, so it's been a bit of an adjustment."

A breeze picked up and tugged at the edges of Rex's coat-sleeves; when he inhaled, he tasted nothing but fresh air. "I think we've managed."

"More than managed," Caith replied. "Mom's really thankful to have you guys helping out."

At this, Fives gave a chuckle. "She should be careful; if I manage to find any more brothers and bring them here, she'll have her own army before too long."

This made Rex frown in consideration. With Marliss and Fives planet-side, even temporarily, things at the house were a bit more crowded than they'd been, and although he knew that the civilians were glad to help his brothers, he wanted it to stay that way. While he knew that he'd remain with Brenna, he figured that the rest of the clones would need to figure some other kind of housing arrangements soon.

So he glanced over at Caith. "Fives is right-"

"Everyone hear that?" Fives broke in, sounding delighted. "He admitted it. You're all my witnesses."

Rex rolled his eyes and continued. "It might be best for everyone if we try to sort out some other kind of living situation."

As he spoke, Caith gave him a strange look, so Rex winced and clarified. "That is...the rest of you. I'm not about to leave Bren to sleep alone. Er..."

The conversation had suddenly taken a strange, embarrassing turn, and as his mind race to figure out a way to rectify it, Jesse spoke up. "Well, _that's_ obvious. But you know-" He paused and exchanged a look with Fives. "It's not really up to you anymore, Rex. We're under no one's command."

Well that was true enough, but Rex figured that his long-ingrained habit of looking out for his men – his brothers – was not something he could shake off with ease. Still, Jesse was right; it was _their_ decision, not his.

Another thing to get used to.

As the clones considered, Caith cleared his throat. "You know, there are some rooms above the quagga stables; they're not much – just a few bedrooms, 'freshers and a kitchenette – but they're something. I don't know what condition they're in, as Mom hasn't had any station-hands out here in a long time, but it's worth looking into."

Rex watched his brothers exchange glances, thinking to keep his mouth shut this time and let them decided on their own. He saw that Fives appeared to have taken the same tactic, as he was in a similar situation as Rex; as the other "attached" clone, it made sense that he and Marliss would stay in the house's guest room while they were dirtside.

After a few moments, Coric nodded to Caith. "Mind showing us?"

* * *

It was about a ten-minute long journey by speeder back to the homestead; by the time they reached the barn, the afternoon was just beginning to fade into evening, and the air had cooled even more. Once the vehicles had been parked, the men made their way to the interior of the barn, pausing to greet Jensine, who was brushing off one of the quagga she'd been training, before making their way up the staircase that was situated at the center of the barn, tucked between one of the stalls and the tack-room.

The wooden staircase was dark and in need of some minor repairs, but otherwise was in decent shape, which Rex hoped boded well for the apartments. When Caith paused at the top level, it took him a moment to work the door open, but after a push with his shoulder Brenna's brother was able to do so, and he and the clones stepped into the main room.

As Caith had said, it was modest. The stairs opened onto a common area, with the end across from the door containing the kitchenette. Rex could make out four doors, two on either side of the room, and as they examined the area, Caith mentioned that each pair of rooms had its own 'fresher, accessible only from the rooms themselves.

There was furniture: a table and four chairs, a few basic appliances in the kitchenette, and a sofa that looked as if it had seen better days, but was by no means in bad shape. Actually, aside from a few stray cobwebs and spots of dust, the entire place looked to be in pretty decent condition.

Rex and Caith kept to one side while the others – including Fives – investigated the space, opening drawers in the kitchenette, peering into bedrooms, and glancing out the window that rested above the sink in the kitchenette. "I think each bedroom has a window," Caith said as Jesse and Kix disappeared into one of the rooms. "Though they probably all need a good cleaning," he added, glancing at Rex.

The former captain nodded, but said nothing as he watched his brothers explore. While a part of him wanted to join them, he chose to stay back and let them feel the place out on their own; it was not what their captain would have done, but it was the right thing for their brother to do. After several minutes, when they'd all reconvened in the common area, he cleared his throat and pitched his voice to that particular register that was useful to get their attention without necessarily barking out orders. "What do you think, lads?"

Jesse grinned. Kix nodded slowly, his expression appraising but pleased. Coric glanced around again, then looked at Chopper, who seemed thoughtful.

Fives crossed his arms and regarded each of them. "Better than any barracks I've ever seen, that's for sure."

"I'll say," Jesse added with a nod.

Like Brenna, Caith was pretty good at hiding his emotions, but Rex could make out the tell-tale signs that the bearded man was hopeful. "Do you think it will work? Mom has some extra furniture in one of the storage sheds – linens and things as well. And I'll help you clean it out..."

But – surprisingly – it was Chopper who replied, shoving his hands in the pockets of the fatigues he'd been given and darting his eyes to Caith's. "No need, Mr. Damaris. It's more welcome than I've gotten in a long while."

"He's right," Coric added as he glanced around again. "Our own...home. It's..." The former sergeant frowned, then glanced away, blinking rapidly. "It's great."

Caith looked confused, but Rex knew well-enough what was going on, so he cleared his throat. "I think that's a 'yes,'" he said with a smile at Brenna's brother. To the others, he said: "Well, we may as well get this place in working order. Chopper, Coric, Jess: why don't you start cleaning while the rest of us see to that furniture?"

Soon enough the clones and Caith – who'd insisted on helping – were engrossed in cleaning and moving the few possessions that Jesse, Coric and Kix had managed to come by in recent months to the rooms above the barn. As Caith had said, there were a few extra items that would come in handy, and before too long each bedroom was outfitted with essentials. In a way it was strange to do this, Rex thought, because neither he nor his brothers had ever needed to consider things like towels or flatware on their own, but now that that they were living as civilians, such things had to be acquired, somehow.

The former captain was incredibly grateful to Brenna's family, not only for the material things they'd been able to provide to his brothers, nor even just for the work on the ranch itself, but because the Damaris' had given his brothers a _home_, when none of them had ever considered that such a thing would ever be theirs.

It was a comfort to know that – while Rex had Brenna and Iri – his brothers had a place to belong as well. Rex knew that he was lucky, but it heartened him beyond measure to know that his brothers were lucky, too. Where so many others of their kind had lost their lives during the course of the Wars, or been subsumed into the Empire once the Wars had ended, Rex and his brothers were fortunate that they had an opportunity to start new ones, unhindered.

He hoped it would remain so.

This thought sent a flare of apprehension through him, and he resolved to find the answer as soon as he could. Now, more so than ever before, he knew that he had to find a cure for the clones' rapid-aging, because they all had so much to live for.

At one point, Jesse was repairing the leaky faucet in the kitchenette, when Rex glanced at the scarred clone; Coric and Kix had insisted that Chopper keep his weight off of his injured leg, but the clone was determined to help out, so he was seated on a stool, handing Jesse any tools that the tattooed clone needed. Rex was emptying out the conservator, which was filled with an assortment of old items that had long since stopped resembling food.

"Chopper," he said, glancing at the scarred clone. "Did you spend all of the last six months in the Imperial Army?"

Chopper tensed, but nodded, and his eyes tightened. "Mostly, sir. I mean...Rex."

Nodding, Rex pulled a container of something green and fuzzy out of the conservator and tossed it in one of the bags of garbage they'd collected. "Did you ever hear about the Empire...searching for clones who deserted?"

"At first there was a lot of talk about deserters being hunted down," Chopper replied, studying a wrench that was in his hand, which Jesse had said he'd need, soon. "But it faded pretty quickly. From what I can tell, the Empire had other things to worry about than a few rogue clones."

"Good to hear." Jesse's voice was somewhat muffled by the fact that he was lying on his back beneath the sink, but his words were jovial.

Rex nodded as well, then looked at Chopper again. "What happened that night?"

Silence, then Chopper shook his head. "A lot of it is a blur," he said, his mis-matched eyes flickering to Rex's. "But I remember being with Coric, in the medbay, when we got the order..."

His voice faded to a whisper, then nothing, and there was quiet for a moment before he spoke again. "It all happened so fast; one minute the sergeant and I were cleaning up the area, the next, a group of Spaartis came in and-"

He swallowed, took a halting breath. On impulse, Rex reached out his hand and rested it on his brother's shoulder, silently urging him to continue; he figured that Chopper needed to share the memory, painful as it seemed to be.

At last he took another breath and continued. "When they realized that we weren't going to follow the order, they attacked. I remember trying to stop them from hitting Coric, but I must've blacked out. When I woke up, I was in the medbay, hurt pretty bad. It seemed like the Spaartis didn't quite understand what I'd done was treasonous; the reports indicated that I'd just panicked and gotten in the way of their fire, so Command just...shuffled me back in the army, as if nothing was different. I wanted to leave, but I couldn't. Not for a long time." His eyes dropped. "I'm sorry."

The pain in Chopper's voice made Rex frown inwardly even as he squeezed his brother's shoulder again. But he kept his face calm and only nodded again, giving the other clone a warm look. "It's okay, Chopper. You're not at fault. You didn't do anything wrong."

"He's right, _vod_," Jesse added amidst a few swears and an ominous clanging sound. "You're in a good place, now."

It was awkward at first, so much so that it took Rex a moment to realize what was happening even as he watched it: Chopper smiled. His head ducked and his hand tightened around the wrench, but he smiled, nonetheless. Despite all the other things that he'd had on his mind, the expression made Rex's heart a little lighter.

There was hope.

* * *

_Later that evening..._

It had taken a little while and much distraction, but eventually Brenna had calmed down enough to try and push the conversation with her mother from her mind. After bathing Iri and setting her down for a nap, she'd done a load of laundry – mostly her friend's clothing, but some of hers and Rex's as well – and then settled down in her bedroom with her datapad, looking over the acceptance message from Loronar Corporation.

All of Marliss' talk of slavers and gangs had set her a little on edge, so she did a little bit of research to make sure that the company was legitimate and not a scam of some kind, which helped take her mind off of her concerns.

The rest of the day passed relatively quickly, though she didn't see much of the clones at all, as they'd taken Chopper out on a tour of the property and – she thought – give the scarred clone a little more space. It was a big change, after all, and once Rex had learned he was coming, he'd told Brenna that Chopper wasn't known for his outgoing nature. So while she missed Rex and wanted to speak with him, she knew that it was better for him to be with his brothers right now.

As it happened, she didn't see Rex again until after dinner, when she was putting Iri to bed for the night. One moment she was pulling blankets over her daughter's sleeping form, the next she felt a hand on her shoulder as Rex approached her from behind; together, they tucked the little girl in, then slipped quietly from the room. It was still fairly early, but even though she was tired, she had no desire to go to sleep just yet, mostly because there was quite a lot on her mind. So she slipped her hand in Rex's and kissed his cheek. "Come upstairs with me?"

He smiled at her. "Gladly. I have something I want to run by you, anyway."

A flare of apprehension filled her at this, but she pushed it back for now. Within a few minutes they were ensconced in her old room, and while she _did _have much to discuss with him, for a moment all she could think about was being in his arms again, so once the door closed behind her, she reached her arms around his waist and embraced him. His arms tightened around her shoulders and when he spoke again, the timbre of his voice filled her chest. "I'm sorry I was absent so much today; we're trying to get Chopper settled in."

"It's alright, I understand," she replied, drinking in his scent. "He looked a bit shell-shocked when he arrived."

At this, Rex sighed and nodded; she watched his eyes tighten. "Yeah. He's in a bad way right now, but I think he'll be okay. Caith helped us start clearing out the rooms above the barn...I think that the others are going to move out there permanently."

She nodded. "Mom's house is big, but it's getting a bit crowded. And I don't blame them for wanting their own space. Trust me."

He looked down at her again and touched her cheek with his hand. "It's good of your mother to let him stay. To let all of us stay, actually."

She didn't have a ready reply to that, so she slipped out of his arms to make her way for the bed. As she sat on the edge, she heard him approach her, his steps faint against the hardwood slats of the floor. "Bren?"

"It is good of her," Brenna replied, looking up at him again. He was dressed in the customary cotton shirt and sturdy trousers that all the clones had taken to, and for one moment he looked impossibly strong and capable. She swallowed, wondering if this would break him. "But...I don't know how much longer I can live here."

His lips parted in surprise, and he sat beside her on the bed, folding his hand before him as he studied her. "I know that you and Jensine don't always get along."

"I left home for a reason, before," she admitted. "Although I do love it on Alderaan, she drives me crazy sometimes, and living with her again was not something I ever thought I'd have to do. I know that you love it here, too," she added, turning to him fully and slipping one leg on the bed, the other resting on the floor. "But..."

"You want to leave."

His voice was quiet, his expression thoughtful. She nodded. He seemed to consider again, then – to her complete and total surprise – gave a satisfied nod. "I want to leave as well, but not because of your mother."

"Mar mentioned something about a resistance to the Empire."

At this, Rex furrowed his brow. "Fives did as well. But I was thinking about something else he told me."

She tried not to think that he'd glossed over the mention of the resistance, and instead gave him an encouraging look for him to continue. "There's a rumor that a Kaminoan scientist has been working on a cure for the clones' rapid-aging. She's been spotted on Cyrillia...Fives said that he and Marliss might try to track her down."

"Nala Se? Mar mentioned her to me, too," Brenna replied, watching as he nodded. Suddenly, something clicked in her mind; she rose and moved to the rickety wooden desk where she'd left her datapad, then returned to his side. A moment of searching later and she made a noise of satisfaction, feeling excitement fluttering within her belly. "Cyrillia...that's not far from Loronar."

Rex leaned over and glanced at the 'pad. "What's on Loronar?"

Brenna took a breath and met his eyes. "A job. A really good one." He seemed a little startled and she glanced back down at the 'pad. "It's in my field, and I think we could live well-enough with the salary. Rex, I think I want to try and do this-" she set down the datapad and took his hand in hers, "-somewhere else. I think it would help us to be in a place where we could start fresh, even if we only stayed there for a year or so. But I know you love it here," she added, blinking rapidly. "And I know your brothers are here...but this...well, it feels like too good of an opportunity to pass up."

"How would we manage?" he asked as he studied her. "You'd work on Loronar and I'd travel with Fives and Marliss? What about Iri?"

"If I lived close by to the main headquarters, I could do a lot of work from home," she replied. "And there's always child-care. It can be expensive, but I still have a good bit of money from the GAR."

A gleam of excitement appeared in Rex's eyes and she could practically see him mulling over the possibilities. "If Nala Se's not on Cyrillia, Fives and I could scout out surrounding systems...it'd likely mean I'd be gone a bit of the time, though," he added, looking back at her. "Would you be okay with that?"

"It's not ideal," she admitted. "But it's looking pretty good from where I'm standing. And...you know...I'm no stranger to being separated from you. At least you won't be involved in battles or anything."

He gave her a half-smile of acknowledgment, then reached forward and took her other hand in his so that both of theirs were joined; his grip was firm. "That's true. And we'll be together, for the most part."

Brenna beamed at him. "Our own little family."

* * *

_A family._

When she said the words, Rex felt his eyes widen marginally, but his smile broadened to full right along with hers. If he and Fives could manage to track down Nala Se, and find a way to slow the pace of the clones' aging...

Well, it would solve a lot of his problems. It would mean that he was _finally _in a position to offer the woman he loved what she and her daughter deserved, and the fact that he could do so without necessarily having to leave her side – for very long – was an added bonus.

For once in his life, things were falling into place.

A part of him was wary of the feeling, because Rex knew well-enough that nothing worth having came without a price, but as Brenna was smiling up at him, he thought that she looked so happy he just wanted to savor the moment, just this once. So he nodded once, then lifted their joined hands and kissed her fingertips. "A family. Bren...there's nothing I want more."

If possible, her smile widened even further, and she nodded. A moment later, though, her face changed and some of her happiness faded, and he was instantly on alert. "What is it?"

She looked uncertain. "Your brothers...are you sure you can leave them behind?"

Although she didn't say as much, he knew that she was thinking of the _Resolute_, when she'd had to return home to Alderaan and he'd not gone with her; at the time, he knew that he'd be able to walk away from the GAR and the Republic, but he'd been unable to leave his brothers. The decision still bothered him, but he knew that in the end he'd made the right choice; Ahsoka, his dear friend, was alive because he'd stayed and was able to help her during the issuance of Order 66, while Jesse, Kix and Coric – and Tup, though he hadn't survived the night – had found the strength to disobey the order through his leadership.

Their lives were good, now, and he thought that he could make them even better.

Again, his thoughts turned to the resistance movement. In a way it was tempting, but he knew that he was on the right path. _A family._ It was what he wanted, and it looked like – if they were very, _very_ lucky – it would be what he got.

So he nodded slowly, rubbing his thumbs against her wrists as he considered. "It won't be easy to leave them, but if Fives and I can find the cure...well, it'd make it all worthwhile, I think. And they've settled in quite well here. I think they're happy."

"And you?" she asked in a quiet voice. "You're happy as well? I know that you've had so much on your mind, lately."

_It's so much worse to sacrifice what you have _now_ for what could be, _one day_._

"I have," he admitted, meeting her eyes as he thought of her brother's words to him the previous day. "And I still don't know what we'll do if the news about Nala Se and the aging cure is false, but in the meantime-" He paused to break the seal of their hands and take her fully in his arms, savoring the feel of her against his body and thinking that there was nothing better than _this_, anywhere. "We have each other, and we have right now. That's what matters."

* * *

_Next time: leaving Alderaan and Jesse's (atrocious) table manners. Not necessarily in that order. ;)_

_Thanks for reading!_

_Not -quite-shameless plug: I started an account on Archive of Our Own! (AO3) There's only one ficlet up there now, (an erotica one-shot featuring my OCs, Kalinda and Stonewall), but more will surely follow. Feel free to take a look, just remember that it's NSFW and _definitely_ 18+. The link is on my profile. :)_


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

_One week later..._

The evening before Rex, Brenna and Iri were scheduled to depart for Loronar, Jensine had insisted on having a sending-off party. It was a cool evening, so a few outdoor space-heaters – often used in place of torches or other devices that relied on flame – were situated at intervals along the rear porch of the main house, which was where the dinner was taking place. The heaters provided warmth while also giving off a pleasant glow that illuminated the surrounding area and cast everything in wavering, golden light. A long table had been set up along the brick patio; presently, it was covered with enough food to feed a small army, which Rex supposed he and his brothers could be considered in a sense.

It reminded him a bit of the clones' arrival to Alderaan six months ago, after the Wars had ended; at the time, neither Rex nor his brothers had ever seen so much food in one place, but in the meantime they'd adjusted quite well.

"Hey, Rex...hand me some of that roasted gorak," Jesse said as he selected a portion of flatbread for his plate; the request was punctuated with a belch.

Rex frowned. Perhaps they'd adjusted a little _too_ well.

Seated between Brenna and Coric, Rex lifted his brow and Jesse grinned as he said: "Hand me some of that roasted gorak, _please."_

Sighing, Rex passed over the requested dish, then helped himself to a measure of kebroot stew. The rest of his brothers were chatting amiably amongst themselves and with Edme and Jensine. Beside Rex, Brenna had been trying to get Iri to eat, not play, with her food, though apparently she'd given up by now; across from her, Caith was doing much the same thing with his son.

Because he thought it was the right thing to do, Rex leaned over and got Brenna's attention. "Anything I can do to help?"

"No dinner!" Iri replied from her duraplast booster-seat, slapping her hands on the table before her. "Iri play!"

Brenna shot him a wry look even as she shrugged and turned back to her own plate. "Not unless you can do a Jedi mind trick on her."

"But she needs to eat, right?"

At this, Brenna speared a piece of roasted gorak with her fork. "She ate a little bit...some kids just go through a phase of not wanting to eat. Don't worry," she added, smiling at him. "She's not going to go hungry."

"Brenna's right," Edme added from across the table. "And if you keep trying to offer her food, she'll just learn that she can refuse it in order to get your attention."

It felt a bit counter-intuitive to Rex, because in his mind, a child needed to eat and that was the end of the story, but he decided to defer to the judgment of those with more experience in these matters. Not for the first time since they'd decided to leave Alderaan, Rex felt a pang of worry – a brief, small one – that he was leaving behind the only other parental figures that he knew. He still felt like he had no idea what he was doing where Iri was concerned, and it had been nice to know that he had Brenna's brother and sister-in-law to turn to if he needed help.

But, he reasoned, he always had Brenna, which was more than enough. So he nodded and – on a whim – gave Iri one of his best stern glares. "Irini Damaris: please eat your flatbread at once."

For a moment the toddler stared at him, then she tipped her plate backwards and onto the ground, holding his eyes as her food splattered against the bricks and a look of defiance on her face. Although he'd read about events like this in the parenting manuals he'd found, Rex's brows lifted in surprise, while beside him, Brenna was fighting back a snort of laughter, and when he looked at her, she started laughing in earnest.

"I guess she's done," Brenna said after a moment, shaking her head and smiling at him. "That or she doesn't like roasted gorak."

Rex thought that there had to be more to it than that, but he took a breath and nodded. "I'll clean it up."

"Don't bother," Jensine spoke up from Iri's other side. "We'll get it later on."

Bren shot him a warm look and he felt her hand give a squeeze against his knee, which made him smile as well. "You made a great effort, though."

There was relative quiet for a few moments, then Jensine spoke again. "So, you're all packed?"

She'd spoken to Brenna, who nodded. "Caith's going to give us a ride to Belleau-a-Lir first thing in the morning; from there, we have a few hours before we'll arrive at Sabo."

"I haven't heard of that city," Caith said. "It's not the capitol?"

Rex shook his head. "It's one of the more populous cities on Loronar, and is pretty much a hub for travelers who arrive on-planet. Bren's job is in Fierr."

"We've got a temporary place to stay," Brenna added, sitting up in her chair. "It's about forty-five minutes by hoverrail from Sabo; Fives and Marliss are going to meet us there once we arrive."

That part of the plan had taken a bit of coordination, but Rex was pleased with how things had turned out; though Fives and Marliss had left the morning after they'd brought Chopper about a week ago, he'd been able to get in touch with his brother and make the necessary arrangements to do all of this. Fives had been pleased that Rex was going to help them join the search, and had even sent over something that Rex had never owned before, but would come in extremely useful.

An identity.

Rather, it was an ID card – forged, of course – but an excellently-done forgery, according to Brenna and Caith. It was strange to see his face and the name "Rex Damaris" on the pass, but Rex knew that it was necessary to have such a thing if he were going to travel with Bren. And while he still had his reservations about his face being recognizable, Fives had never had any trouble with being spotted as a clone. Admittedly, Rex's hair was a little bit longer now, and without the armor, dressed in the manner of a civilian, well...he blended in about as well as he could, he supposed.

While Brenna's reaction to the ID had been positive, Rex thought that he'd caught a flicker of sorrow across her face; he wondered if seeing him with her last name – a tradition on many worlds when two people got married – had only served to remind her of his reluctance.

His only consolation was a hope that such a thing would change very soon.

Jensine's voice broke him out of his reverie; she was leaning over Iri and stroking the child's curls fondly. "I'm going to miss my granddaughter," she said with a sigh. "And Iri's going to miss her Nana...aren't you, sweetheart?"

Iri burbled a reply, but it was Caith's next words that caught Rex's ears. "Bren, you're sure that this is going to work? I really do think you and Rex will need support for Irini. Even staying away for a year...it's a long time."

"We can handle it," Brenna replied, straightening. "Caith, you and Ed have done a lot for me and Iri, but it's time we made our own way."

"This is not the time to be cavalier or stubborn," Jensine interjected. "Brenna, I know you want to be independent, but do you really think that taking off and leaving your family is the best way?"

When Brenna looked at her mother, Rex watched as _something_ passed between them, something to which he wasn't privy. He'd never prided himself on being an expert in parent-child relationships – certainly, his time with Iri was proving that he was hopelessly ignorant on the subject – but he thought again that maybe Brenna did need a bit of space from her mother, who was even now regarding Bren like she was about to start scolding the brown-haired woman.

"Let it go, Mom." Brenna's voice was soft but filled with durasteel, and Jensine's eyes tightened as she looked away.

To hopefully diffuse some of the tension, Rex glanced over the table at Kix, who'd remained quiet for the most part while he ate his stew. "Thanks for taking up Nova's training. She's coming along pretty well, though I'd like to get her to be comfortable with a rider firing a blaster."

Kix offered him a smile and a duck of his head. "I'll work on it, Rex."

Nodding, Rex glanced at his other brothers. "That reminds me; that mountain anooba is still out there, somewhere. Keep it in mind when you're moving the villies, and I think it's best if no one goes out alone..."

He trailed off at the look of mock-irritation that had come over Jesse and Coric's faces. "What?"

Jesse arched his brow. "We've got it under control, Rex. Don't worry about us."

As the others chorused in agreement, Rex nodded, though he felt...strange. He'd spent his entire life training to be a leader for his brothers, and even though he understood that things were different now, it was taking some getting used to.

However, he felt Bren's hand on his knee again; looking over, he watched as she offered him a smile. "Don't worry, I _definitely_ need you," she said in a soft voice. "So does Iri."

The feeling of strangeness evaporated and he smiled back. "Good to hear."

"Hey, just because you can't order us around any more doesn't mean we're not going to miss you, Rex," Jesse spoke up, causing the others to look his way.

Kix nodded in agreement. "You've got your own path to follow."

With that, Caith lifted his glass of water, his eyes on Bren, Rex and Iri. "May the road always rise up to meet you," he said in the traditional Alderaani blessing. "May the wind always be at your back."

The others' voices rose in a chorus, repeating the second line in a way that made Rex's heart swell. "May the wind always be at your back."

Beneath the table, he took Brenna's hand in his own and savored her warmth. They were together, they had each other; everything would be fine.

* * *

_Two days later..._

"Thank goodness we're here," Brenna said from her seat beside him. "I think Iri's more fed up with all of this than either of us."

Indeed, the toddler was in her mother's lap, sniffling after the remnants from her hysterics. Rex had bristled when the other passengers on the transport from Byblos – where they'd been rerouted to after leaving the Core – shot glares at the little girl whenever she started crying, but Brenna had done a remarkable job of keeping Iri quiet for the most part; now, the toddler was tired and fussy and clearly ready for the journey to be over.

Rex knew how she felt.

From the moment they'd left Belleau-a-Lir, he thought that everything that could have gone wrong, _had _gone wrong. It had begun the morning they'd left the ranch when the speeder had broken down about halfway towards the town; from there, there'd been a seemingly endless array of delays and problems, until he and Bren were running an entire day behind schedule.

It was another thing that was vastly different from his time in the GAR. Back then, there had been no delays of the mundane kind. If a transport's progress was halted it was because the LZ was too hot or the troops were being rerouted to another site altogether. It had certainly _not _been because there weren't enough passengers for the transport company to bother even making the trip in the first place.

The transport they were on was a far cry from any LAAT/i that Rex had ever boarded, but he had to admit that being seated was better than standing and hanging onto the dangling handles, hoping not to get shot down by enemy blaster-fire. The interior of the transport itself was dim and perhaps not as clean as it could have been, but Brenna had said that was to be expected with transports of this nature; she had been reluctant to spend too much money on a nicer vessel, which Rex had thought prudent. There were a myriad of travelers of all species, most of whom kept to themselves, though their voices added a chattering background against the drone of the vessel's engines.

When an announcement sounded over the comm, saying that they were only minutes away from reaching Loronar proper, Brenna shifted in her chair. "I hope we land soon," she said, twisting to look towards the exit. "The 'fresher's been out-of-order for hours, and I don't think I can hold it much longer."

At this, Rex glanced at his chrono. "Shouldn't be much longer."

When he looked back up at her, he noted that her hair was messy and the buttons of her shirt were done up out of order – Iri had a fondness for playing with them – and she had a smudge of what he thought was a remnant of Iri's muja-sauce on her cheek. However, heedless of any of this, Brenna snuggled Iri closer to her and kissed the little girl's forehead, murmuring something in her ear, and as the toddler cooed with pleasure Rex felt a thrill of happiness run through him at the sight of his girls.

"Hey," he said, reaching for Bren's cheek to wipe away the smudge. "Have I told you lately how much I love you?"

Warm brown eyes met his and he watched as spots of color appeared on her cheeks; he saw none of the disheveled nature of her appearance, because in his eyes she was the most beautiful person in the galaxy. "Yes," she replied as she smiled at him. "But I don't mind it when you repeat yourself."

Rex nodded, intentionally keeping his expression business-like, which he knew would amuse her. "Good. Because it's more than I can really say."

"It's been a rough journey," she admitted with a sigh. "But I think it was the right decision."

"Me too."

They exchanged a warm look, then he slid his arm around her shoulder and kissed her forehead; against his body, she was soft and familiar, and he savored the scent of her shampoo – nearly faded, now, as she'd not had a chance to wash her hair since leaving Alderaan – and the press of her body to his. Even faint as it was, Rex thought it was a scent that he'd never get tired of. Iri was even quiet, and for one moment everything was still and perfect between the three of them, even as the other passengers of the transport muttered about the delay and shifted in their seats.

He was almost disappointed when the message came over the comm that they were about to land

Brenn, however, nearly jumped out of her chair. "Thank goodness...I'm about to burst."

* * *

Of course, before they reached anywhere that had a 'fresher, there were multiple ID checkpoints that all travelers had to pass through before being allowed to continue on their journey. This, Rex had learned, was the one part of traveling as a civilian that he disliked above all others.

Leaving Belleau-a-Lir had been relatively easy and the guard hadn't given him or his ID so much as a second glance, which was heartening. It had been much the same on Andara, where they'd been rerouted after Alderaan, and again on Byblos, though on that planet the guard had given Rex a look that the former captain recognized well; it wasn't _quite _suspicious, but it was on the way, and he'd felt a knot form in the pit of his stomach after the fact.

Now, so much closer to their destination, Rex took few deep breaths to remain calm. Logically, he knew that many of the galactic population had never seen the clones without their armor, so his face was not as recognizable as he'd feared. On the journey out here, Iri had garnered far much more attention than himself, but still...

He was nervous.

The line before them snaked through a rather busy terminal. From where he stood, Rex could make out dozens and dozens of species, most of which were hurrying along from place to place unless – like himself and Bren – they were waiting to pass through a checkpoint. Florescent lights were set into the ceiling high above his head, and in the background, beyond the din of countless voices, Rex could hear the ubiquitous buzz of engines.

Brenna was beside him in the line, bouncing Iri on her hip and speaking softly to the little girl while he carried the bags they'd brought along; they'd left most of their belongings on Alderaan, as Fives and Marliss had offered to bring the rest at a later point in time. Rex shot her a glance. "Want me to take her?"

"No, thanks," Bren replied, leaning on the balls of her feet to try and see above the line. They were fairly close to the guard station, and Rex estimated that they only had a few more minutes before their turn. "She's a good distraction. Ironic, huh?"

This was said to the toddler, whose eyes were drifting shut as she grew more and more tired. At Rex's look of confusion, Bren clarified: "She practically played bolo-ball with my bladder while I was pregnant. It was awful...I couldn't go for five minutes without running to the 'fresher."

"Sounds like fun," he replied with a grimace, as the idea of having another person _growing_ inside of you was...well, he was just glad that he was male.

Before she could reply, the line moved forward and they were next.

The guards were both Human males, their uniforms gray and crisp in the manner that Rex had come to associate with Imperials, despite the fact that he'd only seen a few on the journey so far. They also wore the local insignia that defined them as part of the Loronar government and not directly of the Empire. Brenna stepped ahead of him, holding out her ID to the first guard; he scanned it with a device attached to his belt and asked her a question about Iri that Rex didn't hear, because the other guard was studying him.

"Almost three years old," Brenna replied, shifting her daughter, who was starting to sniffle in the manner she did right before she started wailing.

The guard who was looking at Rex was a little older than the one speaking to Bren. He had the bearing of a soldier, and Rex wondered if he'd been involved in the Wars at all. The guard speaking to Brenna nodded and let her pass through unmolested; she took several steps forward and paused, waiting for Rex to follow.

When he stepped up, the younger guard scanned his ID, but the older one continued to stare at him. As the younger guard nodded to Rex to proceed, the elder held up his hand. "You look familiar," he said in heavily accented Basic. "I feel like I've seen you before."

"Not sure, sir," Rex replied, injecting respect into his tone. "I've never been to Loronar before."

The elder guard's brows knitted as his eyes flickered to the ID in Rex's hand. "You sure about that, Mr...Damaris?"

Before Rex could reply, the sound of Iri's cries broke above the hubbub of the crowded terminal, and his eyes flicked to Brenna, who was trying to shush the little girl. "Excuse me," she said, causing both guards to turn her way. "Are you going to keep him much longer? Our daughter's getting fussy...we've been on the move for a long time. I think she's ready for a nap."

She added an apologetic smile that was a bit wider than her normal kind, and reached her hand up to smooth Iri's blonde curls back, turning so that the child's face was visible to the men. At this, the elder guard's features softened just a little bit; he glanced back at Rex and nodded for him to pass by. With an inward sigh of relief, Rex hefted the bags and stepped through the checkpoint.

When he reached Brenna's side he gave her a nod that he hoped conveyed his relief and appreciation of her assistance. She nodded back and they continued through the terminal, unhindered.

* * *

_Next time: Okay, remember the part of the author's note at the beginning, when I said there would be angst? It's coming. Brace yourself. (I'm sure there's a meme out there for this...)_

_Thank you all for reading! If you've taken the time to review - thank you as well. I try to thank everyone in a PM, but I don't always manage it. Even so, please know that I'm thankful for each comment you leave; sharing my writing is one of the best parts of this process, and it means more than I can say to know that this labor of love is being enjoyed._

_So thank you, all of you! :)_


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

Brenna thought that she was about to burst; the very moment that Rex was clear of the checkpoint – and _that_ was something of a close call – she began scanning the busy terminal for the nearest 'fresher. Walking beside her, Rex was looking as well, though it was almost impossible to make anything out through the crowd.

"Please tell me you see a 'fresher," she said through gritted teeth.

He frowned. "Not yet...wait-" A moment later and he indicated a spot to the right that she couldn't make out through the press of people. "There's one. You're in luck."

_Thank all that's holy..._

"Here," she said, passing her now-snoozing daughter to Rex. "I'll just be a minute."

At the sudden change in location, Iri's eyes opened and she gave Brenna a worried look. "Mama?"

"It's okay, sweetheart. I'll be right back," she replied as Rex took Iri in his arms, somehow managing to do so despite the fact that he was carrying their bags as well. To Rex, she said: "She's tired, but she's probably hungry too; if we have time, we should get her a snack."

Rex indicated a series of seats along the wall opposite the 'freshers. "Sounds good. We'll be waiting right there."

Because she thought she was going to explode at this point, Brenna only nodded and turned away from them, darting across the crowded terminal – more so, now, than it had been even a few minutes ago – and reaching the 'fresher not a moment too soon. Despite the number of beings outside, there was no one else inside the 'fresher, which was a relief. Once she was finished, she stepped out of the stall and made her way to the row of open sinks against the wall, thinking to wash her hands and maybe wipe off her face, as she was pretty sure she that some of Iri's lunch had made its way to her cheek.

As she leaned over the sink, Brenna heard a soft throat clear behind her, the sound almost-but-not-quite echoing in the empty room. When she turned, she saw a petite Iridonian woman holding a folding flimsi map and wearing an embarrassed expression; she had tan skin, reddish hair done in a single braid down her back, a series of intricate geometrical tattoos on her face, and a small knapsack hanging off of her shoulder.

"Excuse me," the Iridonian said, meeting Brenna's eyes with hesitation. "Do you have a moment to help me? I'm new here, and I'm afraid I'm in the wrong terminal."

"I've never been here before, either," Brenna replied, turning off the faucet and shaking out her hands under the air-dryer. "But I can try to help you figure it out."

The other female smiled as Brenna stepped over to her; despite her small frame, she seemed a bit older up close. "Thank you," she added as she held open the map for Brenna to peer over. "You're very kind."

As Brenna studied the map, she shook her head. "It's no trouble-"

Before she could finish the sentence, she heard a soft exhalation of breath and felt an accompanying whisper of air against her nose and on her lips, as if a very fine powder had been blown over her face.

A heartbeat later, everything changed.

Instantly, she knew that something was _wrong_, but at first she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She felt normal enough: her heart-rate was steady, her breath was even, but something was off-kilter and for a moment she was quite confused. Her eyes moved to the Iridonian, who was watching her with unconcealed interest, and Brenna opened her mouth to ask what was going on.

"What's your name?" The pitch of the Iridonian's voice dropped, just a bit, and Brenna felt a thrill of alarm.

_Wrong. This is wrong. _She wanted to say as much, but instead she said: "Brenna Damaris."

Fear began to beat a rapid cadence in her brain and she tried to move her feet, tried to move her hand, but it was as if she was frozen in place. _What's going on?_

The Iridonian nodded once and continued to regard her. "Your shirt is dirty," she said after a moment, reaching in the knapsack she'd been carrying and pulling out a black, long-sleeved tunic. "Take it off and put this on, instead."

No, she would not do this. She would shake her head, brush past this woman and walk out of here, go back to Rex and Iri, who were probably starting to wonder where she was.

But Brenna's body did not obey the commands of her mind.

Instead, she slid out of her button-up shirt so that she was only wearing her tank-top, reached for the tunic that the Iridonian offered, and slipped it over her head. It was too big around her waist and hung lower than the one she'd been wearing. Her old shirt fell to the floor, so the Iridonian bent to collect it, then looked at her again. "Come with me, Brenna, and don't say anything to anyone."

_No. No! _In her mind, Brenna was shouting, but it was as if her consciousness was somehow caged, trapped within her body, which seemed to be in total compliance with the Iridonian's commands. Terror struck her, but it was purely mental. There were none of the accompanying signs of fear in her body: her heart continued to beat its normal pace and her breathing felt calm and even.

But within the confines of Brenna's mind, she was stricken with utter terror. _What is happening to me?_

The Iridonian turned and walked out of the 'fresher, and Brenna followed despite herself. There was a moment of hope that cut like a beam of sunlight through her fear, because she knew that once Rex spotted her, he would see that something was wrong and come to her aid.

_It will be okay, _she told herself as she watched the petite Iridonian slip into the seething mass of sentients that was just outside the 'fresher door; there were so many people now, it was a dizzying sight, and she found that it was almost impossible to focus her attention on anyone or anything beyond the Iridonian. As they went, Brenna tried to turn her head and look for Rex, but her brain felt overwhelmed and cloudy with fear, and her body still refused to do anything other than follow the Iridonian along.

"Come on, Brenna," the Iridonian said suddenly, turning and touching her wrist. "Keep quiet, but hurry. We don't want to be late."

_Late for what? _But she didn't speak the words, only thought them, and her confusion was heightened as panic was rapidly growing within her, making it impossible to think clearly; she'd heard about such things happening when a person was traumatized, so she worked to push her fear to the side and instead focus on what was happening._ Where are Iri and Rex?_

Her mouth opened but no sound came out, and the Iridonian gave a sigh of exasperation and turned again. "Hurry up. Don't turn around."

Despite her frustration and fear, Brenna's stride lengthened and her pace increased to match that of the Iridonian, who was walking quickly without seeming to.

"Mama?"

The sound struck at some primordial nerve within her mind; it was the voice of her daughter, but Iri sounded scared, and Brenna had an overwhelming, all-encompassing urge to turn and run to her child...but she couldn't do _anything_, not even look over towards the direction of Iri's voice, not even tilt her head. She was a passenger trapped within her own body. Instead, her vision tunneled towards the Iridonian woman who was walking ahead. Brenna's body paced along as if nothing was wrong, but her heart was wrung tight with fear.

"Mama!"

_Irini..._

Terror beat against her brain, constricting her thoughts and focusing them like a point of light on her baby, on her precious child. Iri needed her, but Brenna's body refused to move except to keep walking forward, weaving through the heated press of bodies as she followed the Iridonian woman. Had she been able, she would have screamed in frustration and terror. _Why is this happening? Why can't I turn around?_

"Brenna!"

_Rex, _she wanted to shout. _Rex, I'm here, but something's wrong! _His tone was worried as well, confused and bordering on angry, but mostly she could hear that he was afraid. There were so many people around, the terminal was thick with sentients of all kinds, and Brenna wondered if she was even able to turn her head if she'd be able to see Rex at all. Furious and frightened, she mentally shouted at her body to _turn around, _to _run, _to do _anything_ but keep walking like nothing was wrong, like everything that was happening right now was perfectly ordinary except she was maybe a little late for her transport.

But nothing changed. She walked along and did not hear Rex or Iri's voices again. Despair clutched at her heart, but she shoved it aside and tried to focus on getting away. _You can do this, _she told herself, willing her body to respond to the commands of her mind. _You can break this hold, whatever it is. Iri needs you. Rex needs you._

Suddenly her comlink began to buzz in her pocket. _Rex. _Brenna tried with every bit of her concentration to coerce her hand to move, to reach into her pocket and withdraw the device; if she could even get it out, answer it...somehow...

But nothing. She just kept walking.

However, the Iridonian woman glanced her way and frowned, then looked into Brenna's eyes. "Don't turn around, and don't speak. Take your comlink out of your pocket and drop it on the ground."

_No, no, no..._

As if moving of its own accord, Brenna's hand reached into her pocket, pulled out the comlink, and dropped it, the movement of her own foot knocking the device across the tiled floor of the terminal. With a nod, the Iridonian picked up her pace and they began to thread through the thickening crowd a little quicker than before.

Within her chest, Brenna's heart was filled with anguish. Her only link to Rex and Iri was gone, and she was a prisoner.

After a few more moments, the Iridonian nodded towards what appeared to be an alcove in the wall beside them. "Go in there. And keep silent."

It was a corridor of some kind, perhaps a staff entrance, as it was devoid of any other life-forms, but was dimly lit and filled with shadows. Once they'd both entered and walked several meters, the Iridonian turned to Brenna and took her wrist again, not meeting the human woman's eyes as she spoke to someone that Brenna couldn't see. "We're here."

_Here? _

The corridor was quiet, dark, still. Behind her back, Brenna could hear a blaring loudspeaker making an announcement in a number of languages, the sound barely discernible through the rush of the crowd, and she was afraid again, too much so to even register the words when they sounded in Basic. The Iridonian female had halted in the shadows but did not release Brenna's wrist when she spoke again. "Where are you?"

"Calm down, Zoea," a man's voice said, bubbling up as if from the shadows of the corridor. "I'm right here."

Something in Brenna's mind broke open and a new kind of terror poured into her, because she _knew _this voice. _No._

When Arcas stepped into her field of vision, she only looked at him stupidly, but within her mind she was backing away, because of all the people in the galaxy, the man whom she wanted to see least – ever again – was standing before her now, regarding her with his gray eyes that had once stolen her heart right before he'd crushed it.

_No. No, no, no..._

When he smiled at her, his teeth were pearly white against the shadows of the corridor. "Bren," he said, taking her hand. "It's so good to see you again."

_Run, _she told herself as she tried to calm down. The touch of his hand made her recoil, but her body held still. _Run away, right now. _

Arcas studied her very carefully, but when he spoke again, she knew it was to the Iridonian woman who had escorted her here. "How much did you use on her? Hycosine isn't exactly cheap."

"I used enough." The Iridonian sounded irritated. "Didn't you want to make sure she'd come quietly?" Arcas made a noise of assent and the Iridonian – Zoea, he'd named her – sighed. "Well, it worked, because she's totally compliant; I was worried when someone started shouting for her, but she didn't so much as turn her head."

Nodding, Arcas held Brenna's eyes and as he did so, she felt like she was eighteen again, fumbling and strange and wholly unprepared to handle him; the difference was that _now _she had an idea of what she was in for, and _now _she wanted to do nothing else but get away from the dark-haired man.

"Good girl, Brenna," he said with another smile, rubbing his thumb along the inside of her wrist; the intimate nature of his touch incited a blaze of fury within her mind, for all that she was unable to so much as pull her hand back. "You're worth every effort."

"She'd better be," the Iridoninan replied, crossing her arms. "We should get going so she can start paying for all this trouble we've gone through to get her."

Arcas' smile gleamed in the darkness, and fear rose within Brenna's mind, warring with the anger, because she knew that look and knew it meant trouble. "Don't worry, Bren," he said, lacing their fingers together and turning to walk so that he was now leading her down the corridor, to the darkness. "I just need you to use your slicing talents for me. All I could manage was to slice into Loronar Corp's database and access the potential candidates for the security job...and I was _very _pleased to see your name. Nice resumé, by the way," he added with a chuckle. "Didn't I always say you had potential?"

Anger dropped out of her mind, momentarily replaced with chagrin. _It was a scam; he just wants to use me...again._

She wanted to run, wanted to scream and lash out at him, but her legs only walked along and her voice was silent. In this moment, Brenna was nothing more than a passenger in her own body, and she could do nothing at all but follow the man who'd broken her heart so completely all those years ago.

"Brenna...it'll be fine," Arcas said, his hand sliding out of hers so he could guide her by the small of her back. "I promise."

She knew it was a lie.

* * *

_Minutes ago..._

The moment that Brenna hurried off to the 'fresher, Rex maneuvered through the throng of sentients to reach the seats where he'd told her they'd wait; it was something of a relief to set down the bags, though he kept a firm hold of Iri, who even now was twisting in his arms to follow her mother's progress.

"Mama gone?"

"She'll be right back, _Iri'ka._" He debated sitting down, then thought better of it; after spending so long seated on the last transport, he felt better being on his feet. For a moment he watched the passers-by, studying the vast array of species who were at this terminal, and thinking that it was a little too warm for his liking, here.

A few minutes later, Iri looked up at him, her honey-brown eyes wide and her lower lip trembling as it did when she was about to start crying. "Mama gone."

The last thing he wanted right now was for her to have a tantrum, so Rex shifted his hold on the little girl so that she was facing him fully. "Why don't you help me keep an eye out for her? I can put you on my shoulders if you hang on...would that be okay?"

She paused, as if debating, then nodded once. Rex chuckled and hefted the toddler so that she was on his shoulders, taking care to ensure that she was secure; he held her lower legs with one hand and reached up with his other to place her palms on his head. "Hang on."

"Kay, Rex." Immediately, he felt the press of her tiny fingers against his skull, and he couldn't help but chuckle again as he turned and faced the direction of the 'freshers where Bren had gone. There were a few moments of quiet, during which the little girl held very still. He was a bit uncertain if Brenna would approve of Iri riding on his shoulders, but it seemed to have prevented an imminent tantrum, which was a good thing, in his book.

"Do you see her, Iri?"

There was a pause, then he felt the little girl sigh. "No Mama."

Rex's brows knitted and he glanced at his chrono; they didn't have much time before they had to leave, and he was starting to wonder if she was okay. He debated comm'ing her, then decided against it. He was probably being paranoid, and in any case he didn't want to move overmuch while the toddler was balanced on his shoulders.

Iri sighed again, and – unexpectedly – he felt her cheek lean down to rest against the top of his head. "Mama gone."

"She'll be right back," he said again, though he felt a flicker of apprehension at the little girl's words. Very carefully, so that he wouldn't jar the toddler, he lifted his chin and scanned the area by the 'freshers, searching through the increasingly thickening crowd of beings for Brenna's distinct form. Kriff, it was getting really busy, and he wondered if a large transport had arrived and unloaded, which might account for the growing numbers of travelers.

Another few moments passed; now his gut was telling him that _something_ was definitely not right, so he glanced down and began to dig around in his pocket for his comlink, thinking to send her a brief message.

As he did so, he felt Iri's cheek lift from his head. "Mama?"

"Where?" Rex looked up, scanned the crowd for her, but didn't see her. "Iri, where is she? Point to her."

In his peripheral vision, he saw Iri's tiny hand reach out to his left. "Mama?"

Suddenly his heart was beating faster than it should have and he felt his throat go dry, because he didn't see her, anywhere. "Iri...where is she?"

On his shoulders, Iri was practically kicking his chest with her heels in excitement; she ignored him and called out again, her voice plaintive and tinted with fear. "Mama!"

_There! _When Rex spotted Bren, his eyes narrowed and fear tugged at his heart. She was walking through the crowd of people with an Iridonian woman he'd never seen before, and she was dressed in a shirt he didn't recognize as one of hers...

_What the hell? _Rex took a breath, because there was no way she was just _leaving_. Surely there was a logical explanation for what was happening.

"Brenna!" He pitched his voice as loud as possible but she didn't so much as turn her head. A few passers-by glanced at him but for the most part no one paid him any mind. Refusing to tear his eyes from Bren for even a moment, Rex made a snap decision. "Hang on, kiddo."

With that, he gripped Iri's legs firmly so that she wouldn't fall off his shoulders, and began to dart through the crowd as best he could, given the seemingly endless mass of beings. It was slow going and Rex couldn't quell his growing agitation with each passing moment, because it was getting harder and harder to pick her out of the crowd. Had Brenna been running he might have been able to spot her, but she was walking just like everyone else in this place: at a normal pace, as if nothing was wrong, as if she wasn't leaving behind her daughter and the man she loved.

But when he felt his train of thought getting more and more out of hand, Rex reeled in his worry, because _surely _he was overreacting. She was probably just going to find a snack for Iri, like she'd mentioned. Maybe she'd spilled something on her shirt, and the Iridonian had provided a spare. It was so loud, maybe she hadn't heard him and Iri shouting, and he was probably being very foolish for worrying like this.

Surely there was a logical explanation for this, he just needed to speak with her.

As he moved – or tried to – through the crowd, Rex managed to pull his comlink out of his pocket to call her; once he spoke to her, it would be okay. Still moving, he tried the code that would reach her, but she didn't respond. Gritting his teeth, he tried again, to no avail.

Rex had no idea what was going on, but he felt that squirming in his gut that he'd always relied on in battle, and he _knew_ that something was very, very wrong. Still on his shoulders, he could hear Iri beginning to cry; and when he looked for Brenna again, he realized with a jolt that she was gone.

Vanished.

If she were able, she'd answer. He knew this, so the inevitable conclusion was that she was unable to answer for some reason. _No kriffing way this is happening, _he thought, fury coiling within him, warring with his fear. _I can't let it. _

Gripping Iri's legs again, he pushed his way through the crowd, to the last place he'd seen Bren, beneath a sign indicating a series of terminal hubs. When he reached the spot, he stood for a moment, surveying the area and trying not to be buffeted by the people sidling past him and Iri, who was still calling out in a plaintive voice.

"Mama!" Iri wailed, the register of her voice reaching an octave that Rex had rarely heard. "Mama gone!"

He wanted to reassure the child, wanted to offer some kind of consolation or comfort, but he didn't know how to do so. As it was, he paused his steps and – still searching – reached one of his hands up to rub Iri's back, as he'd seen Brenna do in the past. As he did so, his eyes fell on something small and gleaming on the ground a few meters ahead; after managing to duck through the crowd, Rex came upon the object, which was when he felt his heart get stuck in his throat even as his stomach plummeted to his knees.

Bren's comlink.

_No, _he thought, bending to retrieve it, to make sure. _No, no, no..._

It was hers, he recognized the make and the few mods she'd made to increase its range. Iri was crying in earnest now, but he could do nothing to help her, because if he were honest he wasn't that far away from doing so himself.

Rex stood amidst what felt like a river of beings, and realized that he was lost, too.

* * *

_Sigh. I wasn't kidding about the angst, and there's a bit more to come. However, I'm a fan of balance, so for all the angst I'm about to subject Rex and Brenna to, (and you guys by extension), there will be equal amounts of happiness. _

_But not for a bit. :P_

_Next time: security guards and Fives' return. _

_Thank you so much for reading! Please let me know what you think so far, if you have a minute. :)_


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

Even stricken as he was, the part of Rex that had never stopped being a soldier seemed to snap to attention, and he automatically slipped into his battle-calm. Prioritize immediate problems, acquire necessary information, formulate a plan, then execute it; it was a formula that had served him well during the Wars, and he knew that if he had any hope of finding Brenna, he had to follow it, now.

Right. First things first. Iri was getting increasingly upset, so Rex slipped out of the main thoroughfare to a spot that was somewhat empty in order to take her off of his shoulders. The toddler's face was red and tear-streaked, and she was crying in a way that he'd never seen. This was no temper-tantrum. This was a terrified child.

"Irini," he said as he held her close to his chest. He could feel her little heart racing, so he took a breath and pitched his voice to be calm. "Iri, listen to me."

"Mama gone..."

"Right now, she is gone," he replied, feeling his throat get tight. "But _Iri'ka_, I need you to be strong for her, okay? We'll find her, but we need to stay calm and quiet. Can you do that? Can you be strong for your mother?"

He felt a little foolish, for he had no idea if his words were sinking in – she was so young, after all – but after a moment he watched as her features relaxed just a little bit. Her eyes were red-rimmed and bright, but there was determination on her face. "Iri strong."

"I know you are," he replied, feeling a little better. "It's in your blood to be strong."

Even though she looked confused, he felt a thrill of satisfaction, because strength _was _in her blood. Strength was her heritage. Any child of a clone could – and would, he thought – survive when things got tough. "That's my girl," he added, kissing her forehead quickly before turning to hurry back to where he'd left their belongings. "You'll be okay."

Several minutes later, he'd discovered that – thankfully – no one had stolen their bags, which was a small mercy. Still in his battle-mode, Rex took a moment to shift Iri around so that he could carry her safely and comfortably among the bags, then he turned and scanned the terminal again.

The crowd had eased up, just a little bit, so he was able to find a map with relative ease; it was a tall, solid piece of flexiplast, lit from within and detailing each section inside the terminal. As Rex scanned it, searching for the nearest guard-station, Iri sniffed and leaned her head on his shoulder, pressing herself to his chest. "Iri miss Mama."

His heart constricted again, the feeling threatening to eke away at his control, but he forced the feeling aside because now more than ever was when he had to remain in control of his emotions. "I know," he said, pulling the toddler that much closer. "Me too, kiddo. But we'll find her. Be strong for her, okay?"

Iri sniffed and did not reply.

He spotted a guard-station not far from his location and nodded to himself as he turned and headed for the office. The sooner he reported Brenna's absence, the sooner the authorities could intervene; he knew from his experience on a few missions during the Wars that the first few minutes of a disappearance were critical, so he injected swiftness into his stride.

The guard-station consisted of a small alcove set within one of the walls of the terminal. At first Rex couldn't spot anyone beyond the empty counter that served as a front desk; there were several monitors that displayed sections within the terminal, but otherwise the little station was bare. Just as Rex was about to step through the door marked "Staff Only" and start his own investigation, a Human male appeared from a door at the rear of the station, and Rex felt his stomach twist with warning.

It was the same, elder guard who'd nearly stopped him before, when he and Bren were just arriving. The moment that the guard's eyes fell on Rex, his forehead creased and his jaw tensed, though he approached the counter anyway. "Can I help you?"

"I need to report a missing person," Rex said, shifting his hold on Iri. "My...wife, Brenna Damaris. She went to the 'fresher fourteen minutes ago, and came out with someone I'd never seen – Iridonian female, about a meter and a half tall, tan skin, red hair – and left the area with her. She didn't respond to my calls, and a few minutes later I found her comlink abandoned on the ground-"

The guard held up his hand, effectively halting Rex's words. "Slow down," he said, glancing down at the desk before him. Rex watched as the white-haired man picked up a datapad and perused it, entered some information, then glanced at the former captain again. "You can make a report, but legally we can't do anything for forty-eight hours."

Rex felt his eyes widen. "Forty-eight hours? She could be halfway across the galaxy by then. That's-"

"The law," the guard interrupted, setting set the 'pad down and fixing his gaze on Rex. "Generally, folks who take off from their families will check in within that time period, which means that the matter is a domestic affair and not our jurisdiction."

In his arms, Iri squirmed and burbled something, but all of Rex's attention was fixed on the guard. "A domestic affair? She was forced to leave...she didn't do so on her own."

"You saw that she was bound?" the guard replied, lifting his brow. "You saw her being dragged along against her will? Is that what we would find if we checked the security vids?"

The warning in Rex's gut twisted again, accompanied this time by a sinking feeling that there was nothing he could do. But he refused to believe that was the case, so he straightened his shoulders and gave the guard his most discerning look, the kind that had always gotten results when he was in the army.

"She wouldn't have left her daughter willingly. Something was _wrong._" As he spoke, Iri gave a small whimper in response, and he realized that he was gripping the little girl rather tightly, so he relaxed the muscles of his arm and took a deep breath.

However, the guard shrugged, then flicked his eyes across Rex and Iri, giving the impression that he was looking at something unpleasant on the bottom of his shoe. "It's happened before," he said in a dark voice. "People get...caught up with those that they don't mean to be, and they find a way to leave if they can."

Anger coursed through Rex at this and his own voice dropped, darkened as well. "What's that supposed to mean?"

The guard crossed his arms before his chest. "You know what I mean, clone." The word was practically spat, but before Rex could respond, the white-haired guard spoke again. "Maybe your _wife_ made bad decision, and is trying to salvage her life."

"Brenna would _not _have done that," Rex replied, but he could feel himself losing control as fury worked its way through his veins. "She's-"

He broke off as Iri sniffled in his arms; looking down, he saw that she was staring at him, pure fright on her features, and he realized that he was trembling in his anger. He glanced back at the guard, who was still watching the two of them with contempt. As Rex met the guard's eyes, the other man spoke again. "I'm in no hurry to orphan a child, even if it is the child of a clone. But if I see you around here again, you'll be arrested and sent to the Empire to be with the rest of your kind – where you belong. I suggest you leave."

"Mama." Iri's voice was plaintive, and she buried her head in Rex's chest; he could feel her tears against his shirt, the trembling of her tiny body indicating that another bout of hysterics was coming.

The realization kicked him right in the heart: Iri was his first priority, no matter what. If Rex was arrested and sent away, he had no idea what would become of Brenna's daughter; he imagined they'd eventually send her to Alderaan, but the guard's unyielding expression of disdain did nothing to soothe Rex's nerves. Just the opposite. Yes, Bren was missing, but it seemed that he had to take matters into his own hands for her sake as much as for Iri's.

So he swallowed his anger, pushed past his grief and fear, and met the guard's eyes. "Noted."

With that, he turned on his heel and walked away, and tried not to think with each step that he had failed the woman he loved, again.

* * *

As Arcas led her down the darkened corridor towards a door at the other end, Brenna's body was still unable to respond to the increasingly frantic commands of her brain, and she could feel her mind starting to numb with terror.

_No, _she told herself, trying to push past the feeling. _Stay calm, stay focused. _Rather than dwell on her fear, she tried to absorb her surroundings, thinking that perhaps she could learn something useful, somehow.

However, when they reached the end of the corridor, Arcas turned to her again, his smile bright in the darkness as he pulled a pair of dark goggles from his pocket. While Zoea stood by the door, glaring at Brenna, she watched as Arcas reached up in order to cover her eyes with the goggles, which turned out to be opaque. After he made sure they were secure, she felt a warm whisper of his breath against her ear. "Good girl."

_Get away from me,_ she wanted to say, but her voice didn't work. She wanted to gag, to step back, to hit him, but her body remained frozen in place, and she felt another thrill of terror race through her when his hand slid down the length of her arm before clasping her wrist.

"Are you finished, yet?" Zoea sounded irritated more than anything else.

"The way should be clear," she heard Arcas say after a beat as his grip tightened on her wrist. "The others were keeping a lookout; no one uses this entrance, anyway."

Zoea muttered something under her breath but did not make a reply that Brenna could discern, and she heard the door hiss open a moment later. Arcas led her along, his fingers wrapped around her wrist with a grip that she didn't know if she could have broken even if she was able to move of her own accord. He'd always been deceptively strong; it had been one of the things that had attracted her in the beginning, because she'd taken it to mean that he had other good qualities that were not always recognizable right away.

But that was years ago, and she'd learned that quite the opposite was true in the meantime. Brenna felt herself being led along, through various doors and hallways, but she had no way of knowing exactly where they were; there were almost no sounds besides their steps and the occasional rumble of a nearby transport, so she figured they were still somewhere in the terminal.

She tried not to think of Rex or Iri, because doing so would send another wave of roiling fear and horror through her. They would be worried, no doubt...would Rex be able to find her? And Iri...would he be able to take care of her properly?

Brenna tried to mentally shake the thoughts away. She had to trust that Rex would take care of her daughter, no matter what happened to her. Rex was all that Iri had right now, until he could get her home to Alderaan.

Had she been able, Brenna knew that she would have been crying.

Finally they stopped. Arcas dropped her wrist and she heard him speaking to others, the low murmur of their voices adding a sinister backdrop to the sounds of multiple footsteps gathering around her. Inwardly, she tensed and waited, but her body held still. Fear began to thrum within her mind again, not new, but returned, but this time she was unable to fight it back.

Suddenly, a hand grabbed at her left upper arm, shoving her forward with enough force to cause her to stumble; she was unable to catch herself and hit the duracrete floor hard enough to send a jolt of pain through the side of her head and her shoulder, which both took the brunt of the impact. Now she was lying on the ground and she could hear them in the darkness: footsteps on all sides, surrounding her.

_No, no, no, this is not happening. This is a nightmare..._

"She's prettier than you described, Arcas." It was a male voice, speaking heavily accented Basic, though she was unable to place the origin of the accent.

Arcas' reply was immediate. "Hands off, Oro. She's not for you."

With that, Brenna felt someone grab her shoulder again and she was hauled to her feet in one, rough motion. There was a light touch against her cheek, at the site of her new injury, and she tried to recoil instinctively; but she was frozen. The one named Oro spoke again, punctuating his words with a low whistle. "How much hycosine did you give her, Zoea? She should be fighting at least a little bit."

"I gave her enough," the Iridonian snapped.

"You overdid it," Arcas replied. "You know she's no good to us if her memory starts to deteriorate."

Zoea snorted. "That hardly ever happens."

_Deteriorate_?

The fear spiked again, sharper and more distinct than ever before as it quickly barreled over into panic, and she realized that she didn't know how much more of this she could take.

Arcas spoke again. "The ship is ready?"

Someone else answered in the affirmative, and Brenna felt Arcas' hand on her wrist again. "Come on, Bren. I've got a job for you."

He walked; she followed. Behind her, she could hear the others' footsteps and the occasional mutter about her body that she tried to ignore. Totally compliant as she seemed to be, as this "hycosine" had made her, she was well-aware that she was at a high risk for violence of all kinds, and that Arcas seemed to be her best bet for protection from such a thing. He'd spoken to the others like he was in charge, and as much as she hated the idea of relying on him – or trusting him – for anything, she had to acknowledge the slip of relief she'd felt when he'd silenced the others' threatening talk.

Brenna had no idea how long she was led along, only that after some amount of time she could tell that the air around her had changed, and that they appeared to be in a larger space of some kind; a breeze hit her, and she thought that they were outside, or at least near a ship, for she heard the whine of an engine a moment later.

Again, terror sliced through her. They were taking her away, to who-knows-where, and she was leaving behind Iri and Rex. If she left Loronar, she knew that Rex's chances of finding her were exponentially smaller. She wanted to scream, to wrench her hand out of Arcas' grasp and pummel her way through the rest of them, because she _knew _that if she could just get away, nothing in the galaxy could keep her from her daughter or the man she loved.

The whining of engines grew louder and she felt her hair being picked up by the displaced air. Arcas' pace increased and she stumbled when her shoes hit the slanting edge of a loading ramp; she nearly fell again, but he caught her in his arms. This time, as he righted her, she felt his hand caress her breast almost absently beneath her shirt, but she hardly registered the fact because her mind was growing weak from the prolonged fear. S

he didn't know how much longer she could last in this state. All of the anger she'd initially felt was giving way to pure, pounding terror, and her brain was starting to feel foggy. As she was led through the interior of a ship – narrow passages that bumped her shoulders, a grate of some kind that rattled under her feet, the acrid scent of fuel and cigarra smoke – she found that she couldn't quite remember where she'd been when she'd encountered Zoea.

_The 'fresher, _she reminded herself after a moment's concentration. _I was in the 'fresher. _

The others had dissipated once they'd boarded the ship so it was just her and Arcas, now. When he paused, she felt him pull her arms around her back, felt the cold press of metallic cuffs encircle her wrists, then felt him reach up and remove the goggles from her face. This close, she thought that he looked the same as the last time she'd seen him, about six years ago, and the gray of his eyes was fixed on her face. "You're still cute," he said suddenly, his eyes raking across her. "Even more so, now that you'll finally be useful to me."

His hand stroked her wrist but all she was able to do was look at him. Finally he palmed the door open and pushed her inside. "Wait here, Bren," he said as the door closed. "I'll be right back."

* * *

By some miracle, Rex made it to the cafeteria without Iri erupting into another full-blown fit of hysterics. After a few minutes of debate over what to get her to eat, he settled on a serving of honey-sticks. Not the most nutritious selection, but they would have to do for now. The cafeteria was crowded, like every other place in this damn terminal, so it took him another minute to find a place to sit in the corner. Finally he spotted a rickety table against the wall, and as he slid into the seat he felt a little better because he could have a sweeping view of the massive, open room filled with beings while his back was protected.

There was no booster-seat for Iri, so he set her on the chair beside him so that she was between himself and a supporting column. "Are you hungry, _Iri'ka_?"

Sniffling, she looked up at him and nodded silently. When he gave her a few honey-sticks, she seemed pleased and he felt a little bit of relief as she began to eat. _One problem solved. _

For now.

Shaking his head, Rex shoved aside his worry over Iri and pulled out his comlink from his pocket to call Fives. It took a moment for the link to take hold, during which his stomach became horribly twisted again, until finally he heard his brother's voice. _"Rex?"_

_Thank the Force. _"Fives, I need your help."

Perhaps his tone was giving away more anxiety than he'd meant, as Fives' voice changed, dropped in pitch so that it almost felt like old times and they were speaking on a battlefield. _"What's wrong?"_

Rex took a deep breath, than began to speak in Mando'a, partly because he didn't want Iri – or anyone else – to overhear and partly because it was easier this way. It helped to speak of the matter like it was a military operation, because if he allowed himself to really dwell on what had happened...

_No_. Rex's hand tightened on his comlink as he reiterated Brenna's disappearance and his dealings with the security guard. The entire summation of the last half hour took him less than a minute, and when he finished speaking, there was silence.

Finally Fives replied, still in Mando'a. _"Your location?"_

"_Iri'ka_ and I are in the mess hall," he replied, glancing around to make sure that the guard hadn't decided to go ahead and have him arrested, anyway. Happily, no one seemed to be paying him any mind, so he looked back at Iri, who was staring up at him with an expression of extreme concentration on her features. Absently, Rex rubbed her back, waiting for Fives' reply.

"_Give us twenty minutes and we can come for you,"_ his brother said after a brief pause. _"We were actually on our way...I've got some news. It's good,"_ the former ARC added as Rex's stomach dropped again. _"Well, fairly good. I think you'll be...pleased._"

"Fives."

"_Right."_ The former ARC sounded abashed, then gave Rex a location, adding: _"It's a cargo hangar...do you think you can meet us there? I don't want to go wandering around the terminal if I can help it."_

Nodding despite the fact that it was a voice-only call, Rex flicked his eyes around the cafeteria again. "We'll manage. See you in twenty."

"_Rex?"_ His brother sounded worried, but the tone hardly registered with the former captain, because he'd spotted a trio of security guards moving through the area, their gazes sweeping the denizens of the cafeteria as if they were looking for someone. Beside him, Iri had thrown the remainder of her honey-sticks to the ground and was watching his every movement.

"What?"

There was another pause, then Rex heard Fives exhalation. _"We'll find her."_

Rex didn't respond, just ended the transmission. He didn't allow himself a pause once he stowed his comlink; the destination where he was to meet Fives and Marliss wasn't far, but he wasn't one hundred percent certain on how to reach it, and he wanted to get moving as soon as possible. As he glanced down at the bags he and Brenna had brought, he debated leaving one of them, as they were slowing him down, but shook the thought away. When – not _if _– they found Brenna, she'd likely want all of her clothing.

The thought should have made him smile, but he only felt a burning behind his eyes, so he gathered up all of the bags, then looked at Iri. She was still watching him; he could see that her face was speckled with crumbs from the honey-sticks and her eyes were red-rimmed, but she seemed a little calmer.

If he didn't find Brenna, if the worst had happened...

_I can't do this, _he thought as panic seized him. _I can't raise her without Brenna, even if we do make it back to Alderaan. I can't-_

The toddler's voice broke through his thoughts. "Rex sad?"

"No, kiddo," he said, taking another breath as he bent to gather her in his arms again. Now, more than ever he had to be strong; he had too much depending on him to fall apart. "I'm okay."

It was a lie.

* * *

Alone in the cabin, Brenna took a moment to assess her surroundings and try to get a sense of where she was: it was a small space, outfitted with a single bunk and no 'fresher or windows of any kind. The bulkhead was plain, with a few recessed lights in the ceiling and the bunk held just a single sleeping pallet. Beneath the grated floor at her feet, she could feel the ship humming as it took off for an unknown destination, and again she fought back a feeling of helplessness.

Instead, Brenna concentrated. She'd been told to 'wait here,' and she could feel that her body wanted to obey the command, but now that she was alone, she wanted to try something. The fact that Arcas had bound her hands seemed to indicate that he was unwilling to trust in the drug's effects for much longer, which gave her a measure of hope that maybe she could free herself, somehow.

After all, there was no one else to give orders but herself. First things first. Brenna took a breath and opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Frustrated, she tried again: same result. Had the drug impaired her speech as well?

_Never mind that, _she thought, taking another breath. _Regroup. Refocus._

After a moment's concentration, she glanced down at her shoes. _Okay, feet, _she told herself. _Go to the bunk. _

At first there was nothing, then – to her delight – her feet carried her towards the tiny bunk and she was able to take a seat on the edge. It was a small victory, but it gave her back a feeling of being in control.

So she could fight the drug's effects, if she was on her own. Brenna opened her mouth, but again, no sound came out. She bit back her feeling of disappointment and instead focused on the cuffs that held her wrists; they weren't tight, so perhaps she could slip out of them.

For a few moments, she twisted her hands behind her back, trying to work the cuffs loose, but just as she felt them slipping a little bit, the door hissed open and Zoea entered the room. Brenna could do nothing more than stare at the red-haired Iridonian female, who was looking at her with a frown etched across her face, her fists balled at her sides.

Finally, Zoea tilted her chin, indicating Brenna's hands as she spoke. "Nice try. Come here."

"No."

The word left Brenna's mouth before she'd even realized it, and she felt a thrill of satisfaction as she remained seated on the bunk, giving her captor a glare for good measure.

Zoea's brow arched as she reached into her pocket. "Is that so?"

Faster than Bren could make out, the Iridonian female opened her hand to reveal a small piece of flimsi; she unfolded it and stepped towards the bunk in a fluid motion, and before Brenna could react she blew the contents across Brenna's face again, then stood back and watched.

This time the hycosine's effect was stronger than the last, and Brenna felt her consciousness sinking further back into her own mind even as her body relaxed. However, now her thoughts were muddied and she suddenly couldn't quite remember how long she'd been in this room, or what she'd been doing moments ago. Zoea's eyes narrowed and she cleared her throat. "Come here."

Brenna rose, stepped across the cabin to the Iridonian female, who looked up at her with a satisfied smirk. "Not so stubborn now, are you?"

"What the hell did you do?" Arcas' voice cut through the tension, and Brenna felt her eyes move to him even though she said nothing. The dark-haired man entered the cabin behind Zoea and glared at the slender Iridonian. "You drugged her again. I told you _not _to do that."

"She was openly defiant," Zoea replied, lifting her hand in a dismissive motion. "And I caught her trying to get out of the cuffs. What would you have done?"

Arcas' eyes fell on Brenna again, and the nebulous sense of calm she'd felt a moment ago vanished, to be swiftly replaced with thudding terror that consumed her mind; it was strong, so much more so than before, and she didn't think she could have moved if she'd wanted to. When he spoke to her, Arcas' voice was pitched soft and dangerous. "You tried to get out of the cuffs...is this true, Brenna? Nod if it is."

She nodded.

His eyes narrowed. "Behave yourself, Bren. No more trying to escape, or I will make sure you regret it. Do you understand? Nod if you do."

Again, she nodded. He smiled. "Good girl. Now," he said, glancing at Zoea once more. "We've arrived at our first stop. Let's teach Brenna about her new job."

* * *

_Thank you for reading!  
_

_Next time: Brenna's put to work and Rex & Iri meet up with Fives. _


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

Arcas steered her from the cabin, his grip tight against Brenna's wrists as he urged her along before him, with Zoea leading the way through the dimly lit vessel. As they walked, Brenna fought against the onslaught of fear within her mind, but she could feel herself growing weaker.

Everything was getting to be too much for her to handle, and she realized that she was reaching her breaking point. This, coupled with the slight foggy feeling in her mind filled her with a sense of hopelessness for all that she tried to push it aside.

_I have to be strong. I have to fight this. _She thought of Iri and tried to find a sense of strength from the image of her daughter's face; she thought of Rex and his battle-calm, and tried to will such a thing inside of herself.

For a few minutes it seemed to work. Despite the pressure of Arcas' hands on her wrists and the hostile glances that Zoea kept shooting at her, Brenna felt her mind relaxing just a little bit.

As they walked, the ship's engines had thrummed a manner that suggested the craft was landing, and soon she, Arcas and Zoea came to a halt at what she assumed was the loading-ramp they'd brought her in the first time. Before she could get a true sense of her location, she felt Arcas' hands lift from her wrists as he placed the dark goggles over her eyes once more. "Don't worry, Bren," he chuckled as she heard Zoea activate the hatch. "There's nothing to see, here."

She felt a rush of cooler air against her face as Arcas guided her down the ramp, though this time they paused at the foot of the thing, and she heard Zoea muttering as if into a comm. Finally, the Iridonian woman exhaled. "Oro says it's clear. Let's bring her and see if she really is worth all of this trouble."

"She is," Arcas said as he urged Brenna along. "I promise."

"Yeah, well, I know how much your promises mean," Zoea replied in a swift voice as they began to walk again.

Before Brenna could analyze the words, Arcas pushed her forward, causing her to stumble. Beefore she could fall he caught her cuffs in his hand; the feeling of metal digging into her skin would have made her cry out, but she could make no more sound than a hiss of breath. Arcas pulled her back, sending slivers of pain through her wrists, and spoke into her ear, his voice quick and soft. "When we arrive at our destination, I want you to follow my instructions to the letter. Is that clear? Nod if it is."

_Get your hands off-_

But she was getting tired. Prolonged stress and terror were turning her mind as numb as her body, and even as she nodded, she couldn't even summon the energy to finish the thought. Arcas inhaled, sending a rush of sound through her ear, then pushed her along again.

This time, she had no idea how long they walked, only that their path seemed to be more disjointed than before, at the terminal on Loronar, and Zoea's words made her wonder if they were infiltrating a secure location of some kind. Coupled with Arcas' comment about Brenna's own skills, she figured that they were going to have her slice into something.

Beyond that she didn't know what they wanted of her, but she realized at once that she was capable of a great deal, and if she weren't in control of her own body, most of that was likely to be harmful.

Fear flurried within her again, mixing with disgust and humiliation this time, because she couldn't help feeling like she should do _more; _she should have found a way to fight, somehow, should have tried harder to escape.

She was tired of feeling helpless. She was tired of wanting to cry and not being able to do more than blink stupidly.

Finally, they reached a room filled with the low hum of electricity and the whirr of cooling fans, and she realized that they were in a main hub of computer consoles. Arcas pushed her forward, then gripped her shoulders and squeezed. "Sit."

She sat. The chair beneath her gave a little bit, and she felt him loosen the blindfold around her face. When she blinked in relief, all she could see were his gray eyes as Arcas filled her vision and her mind while he instructed her.

"Brenna, I'm going to unbind your hands because I want you to use them to slice into this console for me. I want you to find, access and transfer all of the funds in this account-" Here he held up a datapad for her to read, pointing towards the items he was referring to as he spoke. "-to this account. Do you understand? Nod if you do."

She held his eyes, but nodded once. Within her mind...

_No_. Brenna tried to push back the fear and chagrin, tried to separate herself from what she was doing, because it was too much, it was too much for her to wrap her mind around, too much to think about, too much to dwell on. Her brain felt foggy and it was difficult to focus.

Perhaps sensing this, Arcas rapped her cheek lightly; the resulting sensation was barely more than a sting, but it snapped her attention back to him. "Focus, Brenna. Nod if you understand what's expected of you."

Brenna nodded, and wished she could at least be sick all over him.

Smiling, Arcas stroked her cheek once as if in apology, then stepped aside so she could face the console. For a moment she simply stared at the screen, her mind working over what needed to be done but unwilling to cooperate, then she felt the cool press of a blaster-muzzle against the back of her neck. Zoea's voice was harsh with exasperation. "Do as he says, girly. _Now_."

Brenna lifted her hands to the console.

* * *

The rest of the "mission" was something of a blur. By the time that she was brought back to the cabin where she'd been before, she was wrung from fear and anger, and could do little more than collapse on the bunk from sheer exhaustion.

When she awoke, everything was dark.

It took her a moment to orient herself with her surroundings, as for one moment she thought she was on another ship whose name she couldn't recall at the moment, but gradually, as she woke up she realized that she was still _here. _Wherever _here _was. Blinking in the darkness, she sat up and in doing so realized that her hands were not bound, which she noted because...

_They were bound before, _she thought, frowning to herself and rubbing at her temple. _Right? _She thought so, because her wrists hurt, but she couldn't quite remember, which was not a good realization.

This thought made her chest tighten with fear. How had she come to be here? Where was _here_? There was a humming beneath her that indicated she was on a ship of some kind, but more than that, she wasn't sure. However, the more pressing question was where did she come from? She knew – somehow – that someone was probably looking for her, but she couldn't recall _who_ or _why, _which made her throat dry and her stomach drop to her knees.

Gradually, her eyes had adjusted to the darkness of the cabin but she was reluctant to move from the bunk. It was too warm in this room; she wondered if something was wrong with the ship, or if something was wrong with her. She took a breath and tried to assess her physical state: aside from being tired and weak with sore wrists and a faint throbbing on her cheek, she thought her body was healthy.

Her mind, however, felt jumbled and strange. _Wrong_. Her mind felt wrong, but she had no time to consider anything beyond that realization.

The sound of footsteps outside of the cabin made her head jerk upright and her heart start to pound. As if acting on instinct, she scooted backwards so that she was leaning against the corner, her back protected and her attention fixed on the door as it hissed open. A beam of light sliced through the darkness and she watched as a silhouette appeared in the doorway, effectively casting another shadow through the cabin. Her body tensed involuntarily for one moment before she slipped of the bunk and got to her feet, still keeping her back to the wall.

The newcomer was a male, Human, but she couldn't see his face as he stepped into the room; he was carrying a water bottle and a small package of some kind – food, she guessed – and when he crossed the threshold she watched as he flicked the panel by the door.

Immediately, light filled the area from lamps recessed in the ceiling, and for one moment she missed the comfort of the darkness. The Human man was about her height, closely-shaved dark hair and dark eyes, with a nose that looked like it had been broken more than a few times in his history. He was not familiar in any way, save the sweeping realization that he was _dangerous. _Every one of her nerves screamed that he was a threat; that he was a criminal of some kind was a reasonable assumption to make, seeing as she'd been bound and likely imprisoned on this ship. If that were the case, then it stood to reason that everyone on this ship was an enemy, and not to be trusted.

At first he only looked at her, then he chuckled to himself and stepped forward towards her, causing her to try and back further into the wall while she fought against the trembling in her knees. However, he only set the package – a self-heating ration pack – and the water bottle on the edge of the bunk as he spoke. "Boss said you'd be hungry."

She was silent.

His name...she wracked her brain because she could have sworn that she _knew _his name, albeit she didn't know how she would have known such a thing. It didn't come to her, but she decided at once that it didn't matter; he was a member of this ship's crew, and likely a criminal. Her eyes narrowed.

He stood at the edge of the bunk and studied her again, and this time she felt bile rise in her throat, for his eyes fixed on her breasts and did not stray. "No wonder Zoea's all bent out of shape," he mused as she crossed her arms before her chest. "You're a looker, aren't you?"

"Get out," she managed to say, though her voice wavered.

In response, he chuckled again, then stepped towards her, moving around the bunk so that he was only an arm's length away from where she stood. Inwardly, she tensed her entire body as if in preparation, though for what she didn't quite know. When his hand reached for her cheek, she reacted without thinking.

With one fluid motion, she struck out with her right hand, giving him a sharp blow to the underside of his jaw with what she hoped was enough force to at least jar him a little bit. It was. He yelled something unintelligible and jumped back, but she struck again, this time aiming a jab with her knee at his groin. With this, her would-be-attacker collapsed to the floor with a groan.

For a moment she was stunned at her body's apparently automatic reaction. _How the kriff did I know how to do that? _

But she didn't dwell on it, because in his haste to grope her needlessly, the man had left the door to her cabin open. She half-considered checking to see if he had a weapon, but decided against it in favor of just _getting away, _so she slipped out of the door and began to make her way down the shadowed corridors of the ship.

Of course, she had no idea where she was or where she was going, but she couldn't resist the urge for flight any longer. Her encounter with the stranger had sent adrenaline coursing through her veins and it was all she could do to keep her movements as silent and fast as possible. So for about a minute she hurried through the ship's passages and tried to believe that she'd be able to defend herself again if it came to that.

Voices stopped her in her tracks; she glanced around and realized with dismay that there was nowhere to hide. Before she could do so much as turn around, another Human man and an Iridonian female appeared around the corridor, and when their eyes fell on her she heard the man's voice.

"Brenna?"

The realization that he was speaking to _her_ caused her body to freeze. _Brenna. My name. Of course. _She hadn't known she'd forgotten it until he'd said it, which was suddenly the most frightening thing about this entire scenario.

Something cold and hard pressed against Brenna's forehead; her eyes lifted to see the muzzle of a blaster right in front of her, wielded by the Iridonian while the Human man reached behind his back for a pair of cuffs. "I told you she needed to stay bound," the Iridonian snarled as the Human grabbed at her wrists. "You're soft on her, Arcas. I knew it."

"She's not a threat," the man – Arcas – replied as he tightened the cuffs over her wrists. "She's barely standing upright. See how she's trembling?"

It was dark in the corridor, but she – _Brenna, _she told herself – was able to make out the Iridonian's movements as she reached into one pocket of her pants and withdrew a scrap of flimsi. Arcas looked over at her, his eyes wide. "Zoea, don't! You're using too much-"

But before he could speak further, Brenna felt it: powder, fine and soft, being blown across her face, and at once her body relaxed, causing her to swear inwardly.

She wasn't the only one. Arcas glanced at her, then turned his gray eyes to his companion. "You're using too much, Zoea. You're going to do permanent damage to her memory, and then she'll be useless to us. All of our work will be for nothing – is that what you want?"

"Hycosine only affects her emotional memories," Zoea replied in an offhand way, urging Brenna along back the way she'd come. "Her semantic and procedural memory will remain untouched, so you don't have to worry about her forgetting how to dress herself, or do the slicing that we need her to, for that matter."

Brenna wanted to run again, but her mind was latching onto each word of the conversation. She was determined to remember everything they were saying so that when – not _if_ – she escaped here, she'd have some idea of what they'd done to her. But she still didn't know where she'd go if she left, where she'd come from, or who – if anyone – was out there, waiting for her. She thought so, but couldn't remember.

_One problem at a time, _she told herself as they continued to bicker on either side of her. _Focus on getting out of their custody, first. _

"It's still risky," Arcas was saying as they neared the cabin where she'd been before. "No one has studied all the effects of hycosine on the Human body."

Zoea snorted. "Yeah, I can tell you're real worried about what happens to her body."

This caught Brenna's attention, for she detected a note of jealousy in the Iridonian woman's tone, one that Arcas apparently picked up on as well, for his next words were soothing. "She's valuable to me because of what she's capable of," he replied as they reached the cabin. "You know that, Zoea. Look...she and I...that was over _years _ago, okay? I had a better opportunity, so I took it. End of story."

"And now?"

A pause, then Arcas gave a small chuckle. "Now? Well, she's still pretty, I guess. But even at our most...intense, she was just a pretty girl. Nothing more. Nothing like you."

_Anger. _

It seethed through Brenna's blood, and if she'd been able to move her body of its own volition she would have struck Arcas with as much force as she was capable of, even if she didn't understand why she was reacting in this visceral way. The context of his words implied that they had a history of a sort, and that he had left her, but try as she might, she couldn't actually recall the event he spoke of, which was alarming.

_How much of my memory has been affected? _She hadn't had a chance to stop and really think, so she wasn't sure. However, the fact that she'd had to essentially re-learn her own name did not bode well. Hycosine...she didn't know what it was, but she resolved to find out, somehow.

Zoea seemed mollified by Arcas' words, for her tone changed, smoothed out as if she was pleased. "Alright. If you say."

There was a pause as they stepped into the cabin, then the Iridonian sighed again at the sight that greeted them: the man that Brenna had fought away was getting to his feet, cradling his groin and wincing "Hello, Oro."

Despite everything else, Brenna felt a small measure of satisfaction at the sight; she also felt determination, because she'd gotten away once.

Perhaps she could do so, again.

* * *

It was not until Rex and Iri were aboard Fives' and Marliss' ship, a small, roundish freighter of Corellian make, that he found he was able to breathe properly. The journey from the cafeteria of the Loronar terminal to this particular hangar had taken only a few minutes, but he'd spent the entire time on edge, because with every glance his way – by _anyone_ – his breath grew shorter and his heart beat faster in his chest.

Iri had been a distraction, and a welcome one, because Rex was certain that if he only had to think about what could be happening to Brenna at this moment, he'd go mad with worry. As it was, the little girl had wanted to ride on his shoulders again, but he was reluctant to allow her, thinking that he needed to keep their heads down in the literal and figurative sense.

So he'd held her close to his chest and tried to keep her distracted, which, oddly enough, helped him stay calm as well. As they'd moved through the crowded terminal towards the hangar where he was to meet Fives and Marliss, Rex had tried to remember some of his more humorous anecdotes from his army days to relate to the little girl.

While he found it difficult to laugh at anything right now, Iri had actually giggled. He'd wondered if she understood what he'd said or if she was just tired and delirious, but in any case she was remarkably well-behaved.

When they'd reached Fives and Marliss' location, Rex had paused at the entrance to the hangar bay, which was busy with ships of all shapes and sizes, to survey the area before he barged ahead. However, before he could do so for very long, he'd heard a familiar, feminine voice.

"Rex."

Turning, he watched as Marliss appeared from behind one of the landing-struts of her ship, her one-piece jumper splattered with bits of engine grease and her blonde hair messy, and he was never so relieved to see another person. She approached him and smiled at Iri, who immediately reached out, chattering the blonde woman's name. "Sorry, Iri," Marliss said as she held up her hands. "I'm covered in engine grease."

As Rex opened his mouth, Marliss indicated the hatch of the ship. "Fives is inside. We didn't want to risk more than one of you being seen at time. I've got to tighten down a few things, then we can go."

"Thanks," Rex replied, and turned to make his way into the ship.

However, he was stopped by a light touch on his arm. "We'll find her," Marliss said in a quiet voice as she met his eyes. "Rex...we'll find her, okay?"

He couldn't respond with speech, so he only nodded.

Fives was waiting for him just within the rounded corridor at the end of the boarding ramp; the moment that Rex saw his brother he exhaled in relief. They met wordlessly. Fives put his arm around Rex's shoulders and squeezed. "Good to see you, _vod. _Come with me to the cockpit and we'll get the _Shereshoy_ prepped. _Iri'ka_, do you want to see Uncle Fives fly a ship?"

The last part was spoken to the toddler, who leaned closer to Rex's chest, nodding wordlessly. However, the former captain glanced down at her. "She needs to sleep," he said, shaking his head. "And a bath, and a change of clothes. She's toilet-trained – thank goodness – and we made a pitstop on the way here, but-"

"Slow down, Rex," Fives replied as he nodded towards the direction of the cockpit. "One thing at a time. Look-" He paused and Rex felt a flare of agitation at the conflict in his brother's eyes. "Remember how I said I had news?"

Rex nodded; inwardly he was aware of every second that ticked by, because it could be Bren's last.

Fives took a deep breath. "We were going to call you early because we got intel on Nala Se's location: she really is on Cyrillia, and I think we can make it there to find her."

Blinking, Rex shook his head slowly. "Okay...but why do I feel like there's a problem?"

There was another pause, then Fives met his eyes. "We got our intel from the Empire; they're looking for her, too. _Vod..._we have to hurry. If we don't get to her first, there's no telling what the Imps will do once they find her."

"So you want me to just-" Rex bit back his words and took a breath. When he spoke again, it was in Mando'a. "You want me to just leave Brenna to her fate? I can't do that."

Fives nodded and replied in kind. "Of course not, but our best – possibly our _only_ – chance at the cure for our rapid-aging is going to slip through our fingers if we don't make a move right now. But don't worry," he added, lifting his hands. "I have a possible solution, though I don't know if you're going to like it."

This wasn't sounding good. Rex resisted the urge to pinch at the bridge of his nose and instead leveled his best glare on the former ARC. "Yeah?"

"Ahsoka."

The name was so unexpected, it took Rex a moment to comprehend that he'd heard it spoken. "Ahsoka? She's...she's around?"

At this, Fives winced. "Er...sort of. I don't know exactly where she is, but we contacted her a few days ago and she mentioned she was on a job for Organa – something about a gang and getting a hold of a weapons supplier – but Rex...I know she'd help you."

Rex's head was spinning as his thoughts raced ahead of themselves. Ahsoka could find Brenna...if she was even free to do such a thing, that is. If not, maybe he could use her ship – if she had one – and try to find Bren, somehow. He could have someone take Iri home, then he could go back to Loronar, study the security footage, ask around – surely there was some kind of maintenance workers that he'd not thought of. Hell, even droids would do, provided that-

"Rex."

It was a long shot, a gamble if there ever was one, but he knew it was one he'd take. Nodding slowly, he looked back at his brother. "Right. Let's call her."

"Not while we're dirtside," Fives replied, shaking his head and thumbing towards the cockpit. "It's not safe, even with modified comms. We'll do it when we hit the black."

"I'll have to try and call Alderaan, too," Rex added. "Haven't gotten a chance, yet." His stomach twisted at the thought; he hated the idea that he'd have to tell Caith through a comm message that Brenna was missing. That was the kind of thing that had to be done face-to-face.

_Or_, he thought darkly. _Not at all. _

Because he should have never let her go alone. Because he should have gone with her and stood outside the 'fresher; kriff, he should have gone with her _inside _the 'fresher.

He should never have let this happen.

A soft touch at his cheek brought his attention back to the moment and when he glanced down, Iri was looking at him with concern in her honey-brown eyes. It hit him again that he was solely in charge of her, now. There was no one else who could take care of the child, and the weight of it rested on his shoulders – impossibly heavy. Why was it like this? He'd been a captain in the GAR; he'd had twelve dozen men under his command and care at any given time, he'd been in charge of complicated, dangerous missions where far more lives were at stake than just one.

But when he looked at the little girl who was regarding him with nothing so much as complete trust, he felt his stomach drop again, because _this_ was different, somehow. It was so much _more_. He had to do more than keep Iri alive. He had to see her grow up, teach her what she'd need to know to survive, and he knew that he was wholly unsuited for this kind of responsibility.

Half a life. Half a man.

It was no way to raise a child.

"Rex." Fives' voice was quiet. When Rex met his eyes, the other man offered him a smile. "One thing at a time, remember? Just like the good old days."

"Right." Rex took a deep breath. _Prioritize immediate problems, acquire relevant information, formulate a plan, execute. _"How far away is Cyrilla?"

"Not very. Just a few hours in hyperspace."

Rex allowed his mind to move ahead, planning the next move. As much as he disliked the idea, there was really no alternative to bringing Iri along on this venture; if time was of the essence, they didn't have any to spare. In his arms, Irini was warm and as he breathed in her scent, he felt a fierce flare of protectiveness for the child. Right now and in spite of all other things, Iri was _his _responsibility, and he'd be damned if he let anything happen to her.

"I still need a co-pilot," Fives added, shooting a wink at the little girl that made her giggle. "Think you can handle it, _Iri'ka_?"

"Fives..."

But the former ARC ignored Rex – again reminding him of their army days, but only the more annoying ones – and instead made his way to the cockpit. "Just set all your bags down anywhere," Fives added with a wave of his hand. "We'll get 'em later."

"Unc' Five," Iri called out to the clone's retreating form, then she looked up at Rex. "Fly?"

He sighed and set his and Bren's bags down against the bulkhead, ensuring that they were as much out of the way as possible, then nodded to her. "Sure, kiddo. Let's see what your uncle's up to."

The cockpit of the ship was small but not so much that it felt claustrophobic, so Rex was able to stand back and watch his brother run through a series of quick checks while they waited for Marliss. After a moment, Fives glanced back at Iri and indicated the co-pilot's seat. "How about it, _Iri'ka_? Will you be my navigator?"

"You know she's only three, right?"

Fives grinned at the toddler, who was beaming at him. "Never too early to start learning, right _Iri'ka_?"

"Iri fly ship!" She'd turned her gaze to Rex, who idly wondered how in the void she was still conscious, because he felt like he was about to drop dead from exhaustion. "Iri fly ship? Please?"

_Oh, shab..._

"Okay," he sighed, bending to set her in the co-pilot's chair; he debated strapping her in, but decided against it because the safety-belt probably wouldn't hold her, anyway. Besides, he didn't plan on letting her stay there, long. "But don't touch _anything_, Irini."

At this, he gave his brother a warning look, but Fives winked at him, then began flipping various controls on the console before him, all while explaining what he was doing. Rex had no idea if Iri was able to understand it or not, but he thought she looked like she was trying to, and when he straightened back up he realized that his arms felt strangely empty without her presence.

After a few minutes, they heard the buzzer that indicated the hatch was sealing, the sound followed by Marliss' voice calling out the all-clear. As Fives began the ship's ascent through the planet's atmosphere, Rex watched the terminal below them grow smaller and smaller, and his throat felt tight as his thoughts invariably turned back to Brenna.

_I'm doing the best I can, Bren, _he thought, closing his eyes for a moment and imagining her face. _I hope it's enough. _

* * *

_Thank you so much for reading! :)_

_Next time: finding Nala Se. _


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

Once they were far enough away from Loronar, Fives felt comfortable using the comm to call Ahsoka, so it was that Rex found himself seated in the co-pilot's chair, waiting for the link to take hold and wondering if she'd look different. The last time he'd seen Ahsoka she'd been far from at her best; the night of Order 66, while it hadn't taken her life, had left its share of emotional scars on his friend, and he'd been thankful to know that she'd survived long after his role in her rescue.

The link caught and he watched as the Togruta's familiar form bloomed before him. She was seated at the helm of a ship, dressed in a nondescript coat, trousers and boots, and he could see by the taller sweep of her montrals that she'd grown up a bit more over the last half-year. Her face was a little less round but her eyes were still large, and when they fell on him, he couldn't help but chuckle at the astonished look that crossed her features.

"_Rexter?"_

"Hey, kid."

She blinked at him, then a huge smile spread across her face. _"It's good to see you."_

"You too." He paused, then shifted the holo-transmitter so that she could see Iri as well. "_Iri'ka_, this is my friend, Ahsoka. Will you say 'hello?'"

Seated in his lap, the toddler tilted her head and studied the Togruta for a moment before she ducked her face into Rex's chest as if shy. Chuckling, he rubbed her back, then looked back at the holo, where Ahsoka's eyes had grown even wider as she glanced from Iri to Rex, her lips parted. _"I didn't know... "_

He frowned to himself because he couldn't remember if he'd told Ahsoka that Bren had a daughter or not; he thought she'd known, but the look on her face suggested otherwise. "She's Brenna's," he replied, shaking his head. "Not-"

He was going to say "not mine," but that didn't sound quite right. Fives shot him a concerned look from the pilot's seat, but remained quiet.

However, Ahsoka shook her head as well. _"Fives mentioned something about her to me, but...well, Rex...what's she doing there? Aren't you guys on a mission?"_

At this, Rex took a deep breath and glanced down at Iri. He could see that she was interested in the conversation, but he could also see that her eyes were finally starting to droop. Fives and Marliss were still in the cockpit, but they were giving him plenty of space, so he looked over at the blonde woman standing behind his brother at the pilot's seat. "Marliss...I'll give her a bath later on, but is there somewhere she can sleep for now?"

"Sure; I'll take her."

He watched as Marliss gathered up Iri and carried her to the back. While he didn't like the idea of passing on the care of the child even for a moment, he knew that it was necessary to do so right now. There was no way he wanted Iri to hear what he was about to say. Bad enough she'd had to listen to that _shabla_ security guard back on Loronar say all that _osik_ about Brenna leaving them.

Once Marliss and Iri were gone, he looked back at Ahsoka, who was regarding him with an expression he couldn't read. Out of instinct he straightened in his seat. "What is it?"

"_Nothing," _she replied with a spite of himself he gave her a knowing look and she sighed. _"It's just...I always knew you'd make a good dad."_

The word made his stomach twist again, but he tried to ignore the feeling as he spoke. "Brenna's gone," he said, watching as his friend's face stilled. "She was kidnapped on Loronar, and I have no idea where she is right now. But Fives got word that Nala Se-" He paused to confirm that she knew the name. Ahsoka nodded, so he continued. "Nala Se's been spotted as well, and we're afraid the Imperials might find her before we can, and right now she's our only hope of working out the rapid-aging cure."

"_What do you need me to do?"_

There was so much surety in her reply; Rex had hardly finished his explanation when she'd spoken, and he was a little humbled by the immediacy of her offer. Rex took a deep breath and looked into Ahsoka's eyes. "I need you to find Brenna, kid."

"_Consider it done."_

At the word, Rex cocked his head and frowned at her. "Don't you want more information before you jump in?"

Ahsoka rolled her eyes ._ "We've met before, right?"_ At his sigh, she gave him what he used to think of as her "serious look." _"Rex, you're my best friend in the galaxy. The woman you love is missing...of course I'll help you. Beats dealing with the Black Sun sleemos, anyway."_

At this, Fives leaned forward. "Black Sun?"

"_I'll tell you later,"_ Ahsoka said with a meaningful shake of her head. _"It's too much to go into right now."_

There was a pause, then Rex began to relate everything he could remember about Bren's disappearance, right down to the color of her shirt. When he mentioned the Iridonian female, Ahsoka sat up a little. _"She had red hair?"_

Rex felt a flicker of warning. "Yeah. You know her?"

Ahsoka's lips pursed into a line. _"I know _of_ her. I think." _Seeing Rex's expression, she took a breath. _"There's a gang – a smaller one – called Red Star Ring that's been edging in on some of Black Sun's turf. I'm looking into it for...a friend. It's one of those 'you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours' situations," _she added with a grimace. A moment later, her expression turned thoughtful. _"So, while I'm tracking down Brenna, you guys are going after Nala Se?"_

"That's the plan," Rex said as he shot a glance at Fives.

"Speaking of which," the former ARC said. "We should probably get a move on."

Nodding, Rex looked back at the holo. As he studied his friend, she seemed to study him as well._ "You __look good, Rexter,"_ she said after a moment. _"You both do. I think civilian life agrees with you guys."_

"You too, kid." He paused, then added: "How's Bon-"

Her face clouded and she broke in before he could finish the question. _"I should get going, too. I'll comm you when I have her. _When_,"_ she added, giving Res a meaningful look. _"Not _if_. Stay safe, guys."_

The clones returned the farewell, then the transmission ended. There was a moment of quiet before Rex looked at Fives. "You said we have a few hours until we reach Cyrillia, right?" At his brother's nod, Rex got to his feet. "Right. I'm going to check on Iri. Let me know if something comes up."

It took him a little time to navigate his way through the passages of the ship, but before too long he found one of the spare cabins. Marliss was seated on the edge of the bed, her gaze on a sleeping, blonde form; at his entrance, she looked up and he could see that her eyes were bright.

Before Rex could say anything, Marliss sniffed and swiped at her nose with her sleeve, then got to her feet, hurrying past him as she spoke. "She's sleeping. Poor thing passed out right away. I brought your stuff, too," she added, nodding to the bags that Rex had left in the corridor. "I'll go check on Fives."

With that, she slipped out of the cabin and left him alone with Iri. Rex approached the bed and knelt beside the toddler, ensuring for himself that all was well. It was. Her face was slack, her mouth open, and her pale eyelashes rested along the curve of her cheeks. As he smoothed back her baby curls he was reminded of Brenna.

He knew he had to call Caith and tell him what happened, but suddenly he was too tired to do much more than step out of his boots and carefully settle on the bunk beside the little girl. There was a moment where he thought he'd woken her on accident, as she gave a soft murmur, but rather than wake, Iri turned and snuggled close to his chest before giving out a deep sigh that was nothing but contented.

_Maybe, just maybe_,_ it's going to be okay._ he thought, encircling the child with one arm as he felt himself dropping off into sleep. _Somehow._

* * *

_The following evening..._

As it turned out, Nala Se was not on the planet of Cyrillia, but she was nearby.

After a fruitless day of searching, the sensors on Marliss and Fives' ship had detected a slight pulse of energy too consistent to be an erratic blip. Further investigation revealed its source: an abandoned shipyard a few light years away from the planet itself. Once they drew closer, Rex, Fives and Marliss discovered that a single transport vessel of Kaminoan make appeared to be functioning even as it was adrift among the wreckage of countless other ships, the hulls of which littered the area like an asteroid field.

Like the other Kaminoan vessels Rex had encountered in his life, this one was spherical in shape with smooth edges. It was not an overly large ship, perhaps twenty meters in diameter, and he could make out scorched marks of carbon scouring the hull. There didn't appear to be any viewports or windows that they could see, and it had taken a few minutes for Marliss to even locate the port that would allow their ship to dock.

Rex had tried to make contact via a comm channel, to no success, so it was decided that he and Fives would pay a visit to the long-neck – _Nala Se_, as Rex reckoned they should start referring to her by her name rather than the slightly derogatory term – and see if they could convince her to leave with them. There were no signs of Imperials in the immediate area, but Rex figured that such a thing would change, as his luck had been particularly bad of late.

Once Marliss had managed to dock the _Shereshoy_ alongside the Kaminoan vessel, Fives and Rex prepared to leave, suiting up in what Fives called 'soft armor' in the entryway of the ship. While the reinforced, padded jackets and trousers were in no way a replacement for the clones' old plastoid armor, Rex thought that it was comforting to have something between himself and the world other than his jacket and shirt. In any case, it felt _good _to have a utility belt and sheathes on his hips for his blasters again. _Fek_, it felt _really_ good to wear blasters at all, even if they weren't his beloved DC-17s, of which he still thought about with fondness.

In fact, in many ways this was like any other mission that Rex had been on, except this time he had someone waiting behind for him, someone who was not pleased that he was leaving without her.

"Rex _stay_!" Iri wailed, clinging to his neck. "Stay, Rex! Please? _Please_?"

His throat was tight as he embraced her, but he shook his head. "_Iri'ka_...I have to go, but I'll be back very soon, I promise." Looking down into her honey-brown eyes, he realized how hard this was for her; she'd lost her mother – _not_ forever, he told himself – and now he was leaving her as well._ I promise_. Brenna had said the same thing, hadn't she? Poor kid.

It wasn't that he was completely _fine_ with leaving her, either, but he didn't think he had a choice; skilled as Marliss was, she was no replacement for a soldier of his caliber, and Rex knew that both himself and Fives were necessary to complete this mission. Still, he couldn't suppress the uncomfortable, twisting feeling in his stomach that he was making the wrong decision by leaving the little girl behind.

"Listen to me, Iri," he said firmly, wiping away the streaks of wet left by her tears and pressing his forehead to hers so that he held her gaze. "I know that you're scared I won't come back, but I will." He kissed her forehead once, fiercely, before looking back at her. "Be strong for me, okay?"

Her eyes were still streaming with tears, but the crying had stopped at his words. Despite the trembling of her lower lip, Rex watched as the toddler hiccuped once then nodded slowly, and he felt a flare of something like pride, but it was much, much stronger. "Rex...come back?"

He nodded and hugged her again. "Rex will come back, _Iri'ka_."

Iri hiccuped again then pressed her face into his chest. "Iri love Rex."

It was completely unexpected and for one moment he was flabbergasted. His eyes lifted up to see Fives and Marliss standing together by the _Shereshoy'_s hatch, and he watched as both of them very obviously looked away from him like they hadn't been listening to the exchange.

When he looked down at Iri, she was still pressed against him; he wondered if she had any idea what the words meant, then decided he didn't care. Rex knew that he was probably doing this all wrong and Iri would be scarred for life because of his inexperience, but in this moment he thought that the most natural course of action was the correct one, so he embraced her again and kissed her cheek. "I love you too, Irini. Help Aunt Marliss keep an eye on the ship, okay?"

The little girl nodded into his chest and did not argue when he passed her over to the blonde woman, who looked at him with an expression of warmth like he'd never seen. "Don't worry," she murmured as Rex reached for the blasters that Fives was handing him. "I'll take care of her until you get back."

"Thanks," Rex replied, swallowing hard as he looked away from the child. He glanced at Fives, who'd been leaning against the bulkhead in a casual manner that Rex knew better than to believe; the tension in his brother's jaw indicated that he was nervous about this mission as well. "Ready?"

"I was decanted ready," Fives replied with a wink at Marliss, who rolled her eyes even as she blew him a kiss with her free hand.

Iri had turned to watch the clones leaving. As the hatch opened, Rex watched as her eyes grew big and fear crossed her little face. In response, he offered the toddler a sharp salute, taking heart when she actually giggled even though he could see that she was starting to cry again.

_I'll be right back, Iri, _he thought as he forced himself to turn away. _I keep my promises._

When Rex followed Fives onto the Kaminoan ship, the first thing he noticed was that it was quiet. Had he voiced the observation, no doubt his brother would have quipped that it was _too quiet_, but neither one said anything as they slipped into a corridor that he figured used to be pristine.

Time and disrepair had left it dingy, and many of the lights set into the ceiling flickered and sputtered, as if they weren't getting enough power. The floor had once been smooth and polished, but was now scuffed and littered with bits of debris. It was far too warm and there was a somewhat damp, rancid smell to the air, as if some kind of fruit had been left out in the open to rot. Rex wondered if the conditioning unit that normally kept a ship like this at a comfortable temperature was malfunctioning.

Fives indicated the hallway before them and the two clones began to walk forward with cautious steps. "Mar said that the sensors found a life-sign coming from the area up ahead."

"The cockpit?"

The former ARC pursed his lips. "No. Cockpit's behind us, from what I could tell. Must be her lab or something."

Rex placed a hand on his right-hand blaster as if to reassure himself. "Right. Let's move out."

They moved carefully, but tried not to take too long, as each second that they spent here was bringing them – and Iri and Marliss by extension – further into danger should the Imperials show up. Again, Rex felt apprehension about his decision to even have Iri along on this mission, but he forced it aside to focus on his job. He'd made a choice; besides, Marliss had been given strict instructions: should the Imps come, she was to make a break for it immediately, whether or not Fives and Rex had returned. As far as the former captain was concerned, Iri's safety was his highest priority no matter what the situation.

But still, he wanted to return to her.

Having taken point, Rex paused at an intersection of hallways, ears straining. He'd thought he heard the soft beep of a computer console, but wasn't sure. Beside him, he felt Fives halt as well, felt his brother tilt his head to listen for whatever it was Rex had heard. After a moment it sounded again, louder and more distinct, and Rex nodded to the corridor that led to the right, where they could now see an open doorway with a light shining through. Fives took a breath. They stepped forward together so that they could peer through the doorway.

Within was a laboratory of some kind, though Rex knew immediately that this was no normal, Kaminoan-sanctioned operation. There were no working lights in the ceiling; rather, the strong glow seemed to be emanating from the myriad of computer consoles which were scattered around haphazardly, on desks, tables, chairs or on the floor itself, and there were copious wires running between them, creating a network of tangled lines that were just waiting to be trod upon. Along with this, Rex could make out several larger pieces of equipment that he presumed had some scientific worth, though he had no clue what their use might be.

The rancid smell was strong, here. Rex and Fives exchanged a wary look, then moved across the threshold, searching the area for any signs of life. As he moved, the thought occurred to Rex that Nala Se was dead and all their efforts had been for nothing, but he had to know for certain. Glancing at Fives, Rex moved his left hand in the signal that meant "check the perimeter;" while his brother nodded and moved to do so, Rex continued stepping through the center of the room.

Since he wasn't technically dealing with an unfriendly, he'd not drawn either of his blasters even though his hands were itching to have a weapon within them. Rex took a deep breath, tried not to gag at the kriffing stink, and surveyed the area, searching. The room wasn't particularly large, and from what he could see, all the power on the ship had been routed to this area, which indicated that Nala Se – or someone – was spending all of their time in the lab. How in the void could a long-neck hide in this room, anyway? He spotted Fives along the far wall; his brother glanced around and gave a shrug that seemed to say, _I don't know where she is, either._

"Are you here to kill me?"

Despite the fact that the voice was slightly hoarse, the familiar lilt of the Kaminoan made the hairs on the back of Rex's neck stand up. Very slowly, he turned his head to see her step out from behind some kind of massive, blinking piece of lab equipment. Large, liquid gray eyes were fixed on his face and she moved like a shadow on the sea, blinking at him slowly in the manner the long-necks did when they were confused.

He saw at once that she had not been taking care of herself, either because she was preoccupied with some other task or because she didn't know how; jobs like cooking and cleaning were usually reserved for Kaminoans of a lower station than Rex supposed Nala Se had been on her homeworld, so perhaps she'd never had the chance to learn such things. Where she normally would have been dressed in crisp, white clothing common to her kind, she was wearing something tattered and careworn, a tunic that was clearly made for another species because it was far too big for her.

For one moment, one moment only, Rex allowed himself a flare of anxiety at seeing a Kaminoan again, but he pushed the feeling aside to complete his mission. "No, ma'am," he said, adding on the honorific out of long-ingrained habit. "We're not here to kill you. We mean you no harm."

With this he gestured to Fives, who came to his side immediately. The clones faced the Kaminoan and for a moment it was silent save for the beat of Rex's heart, so clearly discernible in his ears.

Nala Se stood a few meters away from the clones, blinking and tilting her head to the side as she replied. "You are no stormtroopers."

"No, ma'am," Fives said. "But we are clones."

"Of course you are," she replied, clasping her hands before her and – to Rex's surprise – giving a low bow. "I must admit, it is good to see a familiar face."

By the incredulous look Fives shot him, Rex wondered if the other clone thought it had been a joke as well, but there wasn't time for them to dwell on such things. Rex cleared his throat and pitched his voice to be low and urgent even as he spoke in a normal rhythm. "You are Nala Se?" She nodded and he felt a knot in his chest relax just a bit. "We're here to rescue you."

"From what?"

She sounded truly perplexed, which made Rex's brows knit. "From the Empire."

"Who are on the way even as we speak," Fives added as he tilted his chin towards the entrance. "Which means we shouldn't linger."

Nala Se blinked again and cast a brief glance around the lab before looking back at the clones; the movement of her head showed Rex how gaunt she looked, how wan and abnormally pale, even for a Kaminoan. "I am afraid I cannot leave, just yet. I have much work to complete."

"We know," Rex replied. He considered, then took a step towards her, watching how her eyes seemed to swirl like quicksilver, an indication of agitation. He pitched his voice to a softer register and tried not to think of the irony of a clone consoling a long-neck. "That's why we sought you out-"

"I cannot return to Kamino," she broke in, adding a single shake of her head. "I have been exiled; a device has been embedded into my tissue so that should I attempt to return to the planet's surface, I will be destroyed."

At this, Rex and Fives exchanged a look of frustration before Rex took another step forward. "We're not going to Kamino, ma'am. My brother and I want to find a cure for our rapid-aging, and were hoping that you could help us."

"I am trying," she mused, stepping over to the nearest computer console and studying it as she spoke. "But it is taking longer than it should-"

Her words halted when Fives' wrist-comm began to chirrup. Rex felt his body tense as the image of Marliss – Iri seated in her lap – bloomed before them. _"Long-range scanners picked up three Imperial class ships approaching,"_ the blonde woman said without preamble as her eyes remained fixed on a point out of their field-of-vision. _"I'm not sure of their exact heading, but if they're coming here, they'll arrive within an hour."_

Fives swore under his breath, but Rex looked back at the Kaminoan, noting how her eyes had latched onto the holographic image of the woman and the child. "None of us have as much time as we'd like," he said, causing her to look at him. "And while I don't know exactly what the Empire will do to you if they find you, I can't imagine it will be to your liking. I think it's best if you come with us."

Nala Se did not respond for a moment; instead, her gaze remained fixed on the image of Marliss and Iri, which Fives acknowledged, then dismissed after thanking Marliss and bidding her goodbye. Just as Rex was going to speak again, the Kaminoan turned her eyes to him, and he was stunned to see that she was trembling, though from what he couldn't have said. It was a bizarre sight, as he'd never seen a Kaminoan express any kind of true emotion, but as he studied her, he thought that she seemed...stricken.

"Of course I will come with you," she said after a moment. "Of course I will help you with your cause. But my work..." Long, graceful arms swept around the room. "I cannot leave it behind. I will also require adequate facilities in which to complete it."

Rex nodded and glanced at Fives; this had been discussed to some degree, though he had not had a chance to speak to Caith or Jensine. "We have a...base on Alderaan," he replied. "It's secure and there's a good deal of room."

The Kaminoan nodded again and her gaze grew distant, as if she was lost in thought. It occurred to Rex that she was not _completely_ in her right mind, but he had no time to dwell on the matter. Fives made a sound of irritation under his breath and spoke so that only Rex could hear. "We need to get moving, _vod_."

Nodding, Rex cleared his throat, causing Nala Se to look down at him again. "We'll help you transport some of your equipment, but we can't take everything; if you show us the most vital components, we can bring them aboard our vessel."

About half an hour later, Rex and Fives had managed to carry several consoles, crates of datapads, and some heavy, _shabla_ thing called a "genetic image sequencer" aboard the _Shereshoy; _the clones had grown more and more anxious with each passing minute, but they tried to collect everything they could, because all of this would have been for nothing if Nala Se could not do her work.

Finally, they were ready to leave the Kaminoan vessel. Because the Imperials were on the way, Fives and Rex had decided that it would be best to destroy all evidence that Nala Se – or themselves – had been present at all, thinking to make it look as if the ship had been attacked and destroyed by pirates or brigands. Once Rex ensured that Nala Se and all of her equipment were safely aboard the _Shereshoy_, they did one last sweep of the Kaminoan vessel, searching for anything else that might prove useful, then headed back to their ship.

The moment that Rex stepped through the hatch, Iri, who'd been in Marliss' arms just as she'd been when he left, shrieked his name and reached for him with her little arms. While Fives and Marliss moved to the helm and guns, respectively, to maneuver the ship to a safe distance, Rex embraced the small girl and held her tightly, inhaling the scent of her soap as he felt a swell of gratitude that he had been able to keep his promise.

"She is your child?" Nala Se's voice was soft against the whine of the _Shereshoy'_s guns as they powered up. At the sound of the Kaminoan, Iri looked up with wide eyes and Nala Se stared back down at her.

Rex pressed the toddler to his chest and thought about Brenna. "Yes. She's mine."

"I have never-"

The Kaminoan was cut off as the sound of cannon fire filled the area. Iri whimpered and ducked her head into Rex's shoulder, trembling, and he spoke softly to her, trying to calm her down. "It's okay, _Iri'ka_," he murmured, rubbing her back. "It's just Uncle Fives and Aunt Marliss making some fireworks. It's not going to hurt us; I can show you, so you can see for yourself."

As he spoke, he moved to the cockpit, Nala Se trailing behind. There, Fives was grinning as a hail of plasma bolts were lobbed from the _Shereshoy _towards the Kaminoan vessel, igniting it in a shower of saffron sparks that were almost immediately sucked into nothing by the vacuum of space. Rex felt Iri turn to watch, and he had to smile as her eyes widened at the sight. It was pretty impressive.

Once the display was over, Fives pressed a button on the comm. "Great work, _Mar'ika_."

"_I can aim when it counts,"_ was her reply, and Rex had to snicker as Fives shifted somewhat uncomfortably in his chair.

The former ARC glanced back at Rex and Nala Se. "So...next stop: Alderaan?"

_Brenna_. It had been nearly two days since she'd gone missing; now that his own mission was over, Rex found that he could turn his attention back to her, and he felt the sting of fear again. What had happened to her in the interim? Was she okay? Was she even alive...?

He shook the thought away and took a breath; Ahsoka had promised to comm the very moment she knew something, and he had to get his daughter home before he could start his own search. _His_ _daughter_. In his arms, Iri had leaned against his chest again, her eyes still fixed on the remnants of the explosion. No matter what, Rex knew that they had to leave this place at once. "Yeah," he said after a moment, swallowing thickly. "Let's go."

* * *

_Nala Se was an interesting character to write, and I hope you enjoy reading her. She always struck me as one of the more sympathetic Kaminoans to the clones, more of which will be seen later._

_Marliss' "aim where it counts" comment and Fives' subsequent discomfiture are references to an event in chapter 27 of TFK, and one of my favorite jokes ever. (Because at heart I'm a twelve year old. :P)_

_Thank you for reading!_

_Next time: Brenna vs. Arcas. _


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

_Meanwhile_...

She was certain of only two things: that her name was Brenna, and that she was going to get out of this mess if it kriffing killed her.

At the rapid rate that Arcas and her other captors were pushing her, she thought that it very well may come to such a thing. To the best of her reckoning, given that she hadn't seen a chrono in some time, they'd had her for nearly two days, and she was falling into something of a rhythm. She would be brought from her cabin with her eyes covered, then led to wherever they wanted her to slice from so that she could "do her thing," as Zoea had put it. When she was done, Brenna's eyes would be covered again and she'd brought back to the criminals' ship.

She had no idea how large their operation was, or how many other people were involved in each of the "jobs," as she had only seen Arcas, Zoea and occasionally Oro. The Iridonian had drugged Brenna a few more times to ensure that she remained compliant, but Brenna was learning that she could fight the effect of the hycosine if she concentrated. At first her ability to resist had been small, when she'd spoken back to Zoea before, but gradually she discovered that she could do little, rebellious things that increased her confidence and helped her focus her anger and her fear. She tripped – on purpose – when they told her to walk. When she was ordered to remain quiet, she coughed or cleared her throat, or hummed under her breath. If she was told to be still, she tapped her foot inside of her shoe.

Little acts of rebellion, indeed, but they granted her courage. With her courage, came hope and later determination, so that on the second day of her imprisonment, even as she felt the fine hycosine powder blown across her face, Brenna was planning her escape.

The obstacles to such a thing were many: bound hands, behind a locked door and weak from exhaustion and the lingering effects of the hycosine and the terror it had induced. Brenna also knew that she was no match for any of her captors, physically or – she reluctantly admitted to herself – mentally. Not right now, when it took so much energy to keep the emotions of fear and anger, the ones that had been overwhelming for too long, at bay. Anyway, had she been able to escape, she had no clue where she was or how to get...well, anywhere, really, because should she manage to leave, she didn't know where she'd even go.

That, more than anything else, was the most frustrating part of the ordeal; the blank wall in her mind that separated _now _from _before. _She was aware that the loss of her memory was due to the hycosine, but she wondered as well if her mind had finally been overcome with the relentless onslaught of emotions and had shut down in a way to protect herself, to allow her to focus on the very basics of self-preservation rather than dwell on the terror that would have otherwise crippled her to the point of helplessness. She decided that it was wisest to dwell on _now _and worry about _before _at a later time.

Brenna was done with feeling helpless.

Patience, however, that would be her ally. As much as it frustrated her to wait, she knew that eventually her captors would make a mistake, and she vowed that she would be ready, hence the little rebellions; they gave her something else besides grief and fear to focus on, and increased her courage and confidence.

On the later part of the second day of her capture, Arcas came to the cabin where they'd been holding her. She'd been seated on the bed, leaning her head against the wall and trying to sleep in order to gather her strength for the next ordeal; it wasn't working. The moment she heard the door hiss open, she tensed but did not move, did not even open her eyes to see who'd come in because she'd learned their footsteps by now. Arcas' tread was erratic and light, as if he wasn't truly touching the floor. Despite her slender frame, Zoea's was heavier and held more purpose. Oro's steps were slurred and sullen, something she likened to the blurred speech of someone who was drunk.

So she knew without having to look that it was Arcas who had come to pay her a visit. He stepped into the cabin and closed the door behind him; she heard the soft beep of the panel as it locked, then she heard him approach her apparently sleeping form, coming to a halt beside the bunk about an arm's length from where she leaned against the bulkhead. It had been some hours since Zoea had drugged her last and she was tired, though the presence of this man had set her on a knife's edge, because unlike any of her other captors, Brenna understood that Arcas knew her from _before. _

"I know you're not sleeping." His voice...it moved through her with all the familiarity of a shiver wrought by an icy gust of wind, and despite herself she trembled. Fear hammered within her heart but she tried to push it away, to focus on what he was saying and why, rather than think about how unfair it was that she could remember the sound of his voice and so little else. "Brenna...open your eyes."

_Damn the hycosine_. Her eyes opened and she started back, her head knocking into the bulkhead because he was closer than she'd reckoned. Gray eyes held hers and she shivered again because there was no warmth in them. For a long moment he studied her, then he reached his hand forward to skim her chin; rather than jerk away she forced herself to remain calm and focused on keeping her mind alert for anything that might serve her single-minded purpose of escape.

Perhaps she should have felt _something_ when she looked at him; she remembered doing so, before when he'd indicated to Zoea that he and Brenna had a past connection of some kind, and she'd felt a corresponding flare of anger. But in the time since she had been unable to remember exactly what it was that had passed between them to elicit such a response. Now, her emotions were centered on her captivity, on her present predicament. Her past brought her nothing, and she knew that she couldn't dwell on it, right now.

But still, there was anger at what he'd done to her recently. There was fear as well, for she was all-too-aware of how vulnerable she was in the drugged state of the hycosine; neither Arcas nor Oro had tried to take advantage of her – save that one occasion with Oro, when she'd nearly managed to escape – but she did not expect such a thing to last.

Beneath the anger and the fear, bolstering them, was determination.

It was this that she kept in the forefront of her thoughts when she met his eyes. Arcas looked at her another long moment, then exhaled. When his breath touched her lips it made her want to grimace. "You always were fun to have around, if nothing else."

Fury swam through her veins, alternately setting them afire and filling them with ice. But still, she forced herself to remain quiet, to stare at him as if she were still addled by the drugs and helpless. _Soon, _she promised herself as she watched the corner of his mouth lift into a half-smile, a mockery of something she couldn't quite recall. _Very, very soon. _

There was a hissing sound as the door opened behind him and Zoea stepped in, fingering a blaster on her hip even as she held a second within her grasp. "What are you doing, Arcas?"

"Just checking to see if she needs another dose," he replied, easing away from Brenna. "Have we reached Fondor?"

_Fondor. _It was hardly anything, just a crumb of information, but her brain leaped for it, latched on and consumed the morsel as if it were a feast. _Fondor...in the Colonies. Near the Core._

"Nearly." Zoea stepped forward, reached out to tug the sleeve of Arcas' jacket and pull him towards her with her free hand. "Leave her, Arcas."

There was anger in the Iridonian woman's voice when she spoke, and her eyes flashed to Brenna once before locking onto Arcas. "She's still feeling the hycosine? It's been a long time since I dosed her."

Arcas had turned and put his hands on Zoea's hips; Brenna wanted to look away but did not want to give them any reason to think that she was cogent, so she kept her head where it was and her gaze ahead, unfocused and lazy. He smiled and ran a fingertip along one of the tiny horns at the top of Zoea's head, causing her eyes to close in pleasure.

_Oh, Force. _Brenna tried to fight back a grimace. _Please...just _go_ before you get too affectionate._

As if reading Brenna's mind, Zoea caught Brenna's eyes and pulled Arcas to her in a passionate kiss, which he returned with enthusiasm; even as her gaze remained on them, Brenna unfocused her eyes and diverted her attention to the hum of the ship's engines, which were reaching the pitch they did when the vessel was preparing to drop out of hyperspace.

When the lovers parted, Zoea gave Arcas a look that was strangely familiar. Love, Brenna realized after a moment. She _loved_ him. A glance at Arcas showed that he seemed to be returning the look, but Brenna had her doubts.

It didn't matter.

"Here," Zoea said, handing him the spare blaster she'd brought. "We'll need all the help we can get, here. Oro says this place is likely to be hot."

Arcas accepted the weapon and stowed it in a holster at his side, then nodded to the open doorway behind him. "They can do it, though, right? They can keep the authorities occupied while we do our thing?"

"Oro and the others done a decent job, so far," Zoea replied with narrowed eyes. "You're not getting cold feet _now_, are you?"

He smiled at her, and Brenna felt her throat get tight despite herself; she knew that smile. The idea occurred to her that she used to love it, and the realization made her a little sick to her stomach. "I'm ready to be done with this, so we can start the next phase of our plan," he said in a quiet voice, stroking his fingertips along the geometric tattoos that crossed Zoea's cheek. "Aren't you?"

"More than ready." In the background, Brenna could hear the ship's engines whining as they slowed further, shifted to impulse power, then slid the vessel to a halt.

Arcas beamed down at the Iridonian. "Then let's go."

Like every other time, Brenna was led along; this time, however, she was more in control of her faculties than ever before, and as she followed Zoea and felt Arcas' grip at her bound – again – wrists, she was able to pay close attention to the site of this "job." Even limited by the opaque goggles, she could tell that they had brought her aboard another vessel of some kind, and that it was relatively quiet at the moment, though she could hear a distant alarm.

This seemed to add a sense of urgency to Arcas and Zoea's steps, and Brenna was forced along faster than ever before so that she was practically running. Finally, they reached their destination, and she was plopped into a chair as the goggles and the cuffs were removed so she could do her work. While Arcas muttered instructions to Brenna, Zoea stood by the door, blaster raised.

As before, Brenna's body and mind seemed to know what to do without her having any recollection of how she knew such a thing; Zoea had mentioned that hycosine did not affect her semantic or procedural memory, which may have been a comfort had Brenna been able to devote part of her attention to caring about such a thing right now.

Always, it was money that they were after, so Brenna's fingertips moved of their own accord as she initialized the transfer of funds into one of the accounts that Arcas had set up. The sound of the alarm grew louder and she felt Arcas tense beside her while she worked; she noted that he and Zoea exchanged nervous looks and she realized that something was not going as it should. Hope flared within her heart as her body worked.

Suddenly there was a choked sort of noise over Zoea's comm, and when the Iridonian woman replied, Oro's voice sounded. He was afraid. _"We need help...what is your location?"_

"Help with what? The guards?" Arcas' voice was wary and Zoea repeated the question into her comm. As she listened, Brenna noted that the attention of her captors was elsewhere, so she hastily pulled up a general query of the area, thinking maybe she could find a map, a way out. _There_. Yes, they were on a ship of some kind, a mobile banking unit favored by some of the larger companies. There were escape pods...a bit far from her location, but she thought she could make it if she was fast.

Oro's reply to the question of the guards was...confusing, to say the least._ "I...I don't know...it's...something's not right, not at all. We need your help. Where are you?"_

Zoea narrowed her eyes again and shot Arcas a look as she hefted her blaster. "I'll go check on them. You'll be okay?"

He nodded and the Iridonian slipped out of the room. Now, Brenna and Arcas were alone. Having closed the schematics of the ship, Brenna had resumed her initial task, but she was counting down the seconds in her head, waiting for the right moment, because once Zoea was far enough away, Arcas would be unable to get help.

And he would need it, because there was only so far a desperate woman could be pushed.

Maybe he sensed her intent, somehow. Maybe he knew her well enough to note how her fingertips had slowed their movements, or how her breathing became suddenly and suspiciously deep. Maybe she was not as clever as she hoped.

Arcas cleared his throat and spoke to her. "It won't work, Bren. Whatever it is you're planning...it won't work."

_You don't know that, _she wanted to say, but her words died inside her throat when he pressed the muzzle of his blaster to the side of her temple. Apparently he wasn't taking any chances.

"Get up."

She complied, rising from her chair in one motion. The movement caused the seat to swivel to one side and bump against the desk.

"Put your hands behind your head."

Brenna did so, noting how her hair felt greasy beneath her palms, as she'd not had a chance to wash it recently. Since...

She didn't know.

"On your knees."

Again, she did as he said, but within her heart, within her mind, she knew it was for the last time. Her heart was beating fast but she was strangely calm, as if she'd broken through a cloudy cover of terror and was surrounded by clear, cold rationality. The metallic floor was cold even through the material of her pants, and she listened as he stepped close behind her, the blaster now at the back of her neck, just below the place where her hands were clasped together.

"It's a pity, Bren," he said slowly, pushing the muzzle closer to her spine. "You and I...we could have done great things together."

"Liar," she managed to reply, then everything happened at once.

Brenna's body was ready, more so than her brain, it seemed. There was no thought that propelled her actions, only pure instinct that had been sharpened by fear and anger over the course of the last two days. The muscles of her calves and thighs bunched, brought her to standing even as she twisted her torso and jabbed her left elbow backwards, directly into Arcas' crotch; she allowed herself no satisfaction from his resulting yelp because there was no time for such things. Instead, she whirled her body around, managed to send her foot into his hand for a swift kick, knocking the blaster from his grip and sending it to the floor with a clatter.

On the edges of her vision, she caught a flicker of a strange color, a dusky kind of orange, but she paid it no mind because all of her attention was taken up with her impending freedom.

Arcas was groaning over her attack, but he'd remained upright even as the blaster had slid from his grasp; there was a beat, then they each lunged for the fallen weapon. Brenna reached it first and within moments she was gripping it with a surety that she didn't know she had, and she was pointing it at Arcas.

Now, time slowed.

Gray eyes met hers and his hands were trembling as he raised them. She watched as his mouth opened like he was about to speak, which was when she pulled the trigger. The blaster-bolt illuminated his face – was he surprised? She certainly was – scorched his chest, his heart, and pushed him backward onto the floor where he'd had her kneeling moments ago.

Arcas was dead and it was by her hand, but her first thought was to wonder if she'd killed before, because the blaster felt _right _in her grip. The idea was beyond unsettling, but she tried to ignore it for now and focus on getting out, as the alarm was still blaring and she figured that Zoea would be back any moment. She took a breath to collect herself, then looked up towards the exit, because she only had seconds to get out and find an escape pod-

That was when she saw the Togruta female.

Standing almost within the shadows cast by the consoles where Brenna had been working minutes ago, the Togruta was younger than Brenna by a few years, at least, though it was difficult to gauge such a thing when you didn't know your own age. Her montrals curved gracefully upward, not quite full-grown but tall enough to show that this woman was moving through adolescence at a good clip. Blue eyes, large eyes, watched Brenna's movements with an unsettling kind of familiarity, though there was a sort of calm within their depths as well, one that Brenna recognized a little bit.

Her hands were bare and raised, palms slightly bent towards Brenna as if in supplication, or to show that she held no weapon, which was far more likely. She was dressed simply: a long coat, boots, pants, shirt, all in dark colors as if to keep her inconspicuous. But such a thing would have been almost impossible with the Togruta's striking coloring: skin the color of warm cinnamon, white lines that marked the delicate planes of her face, and alternating blue and white chevrons that covered her montrals and _lekku_.

But that surprise of seeing a stranger here and now was nothing, _nothing_ compared to the moment when the newcomer spoke. "Brenna Damaris?"

"Who are you?" _And how do you know my name? _Brenna had no wish to shoot her, not at all, but with freedom so close, she couldn't risk any of Arcas or Zoea's coworkers stopping her. She had not seen this female before, but that didn't mean much to a woman whose memory was in fragments. Brenna kept her blaster trained on the Togruta and added: "Get back."

Nodding, the Togruta took a step backward so that she was nearly pressed to the wall. The alarms were still blaring, adding a surreal quality to the already bizarre moment. "Brenna, I'm not going to hurt you," the Togruta said, her eyes holding Brenna's gaze. There was earnestness in her voice. "I'm a friend of Rex's. He asked me to find you."

Rex.

The name was familiar, but only in passing. The Togruta seemed to study Brenna as she'd said the name, but all Brenna could do was focus on the first thing that had startled her. "You know my name."

"I do. Brenna Damaris." The corner of the Togruta's mouth lifted into a smile, incongruous against the sound of the alarm in the background and the sight of Arcas' body on the floor between them. "We've met before."

The Togruta paused, then placed a sienna hand against her chest and met Brenna's eyes. "I'm Ahsoka Tano." She seemed to hesitate, then gave Brenna a look that was filled with sorrow. "Rex asked me to find you. _Rex_. He's with Irini, and they're both safe, as far as I know. They're worried about you, Brenna."

_Rex. Irini._ The names were like the melody of a song she'd heard once but couldn't recall how the lyrics went. But she wanted so much to believe that there were people looking for her out there, people who loved her and wanted to find her, for all that she couldn't remember their names or their faces. So Brenna took a deep breath and tried to ignore the wailing of the alarm and _remember, _but it was no good. All that she found echoing in her mind were the two names, but there was nothing attached to them that would clue her in to their connection with who she'd been.

"You don't remember." Ahsoka's voice was quiet and her eyes seemed even larger than before. "I thought-" She paused and shook her head, her _lekku _swaying slightly, then she stepped forward.

Brenna's hand tightened on the blaster, causing the Togruta to freeze and raise her hands again. "I don't want to hurt you," Brenna admitted with a shake of her head. "But I'm leaving this place, and no one is going to stop me."

"I know," Ahsoka replied, nodding. "But where will you go?"

"I'll figure it out."

"Come with me."

Brenna stared at her, trying not to appear dumbfounded. "And why should I do that? How can I trust you?"

Ahsoka's chin tilted to the side and the movement that followed was too fast for Brenna to catch until it had already happened. One second the Togruta's hands were raised, outstretched, the next she'd reached into her coat and pulled out a slender cylinder that Brenna found she recognized. _A lightsaber._

"You're a Jedi?"

A flicker of a smile crossed Ahsoka's face as she held out the cylinder towards Brenna, who noted that what appeared to be the hollow from where the energy blade would spring was facing the Togruta as she offered the hilt of the Jedi-weapon to Brenna.

"I am a Jedi," Ahsoka said in a quiet voice. "This weapon is my life, and right now, I'm giving it to you, Brenna. You can take it if you want. You can turn me into the Empire, but I don't think you will. I know that trust has to be earned, but that takes time that we don't have-" Her montrals tilted as the alarm blared. Was it louder, now? "-so I'm giving you my trust in the hopes that you'll give me yours."

"You could have stolen that." Even as she said the words, Brenna lowered her hand to let the muzzle of the blaster slide down harmlessly. Her eyes were fixed on Ahsoka's face and she was trying so hard to remember, to part the veils that rested over her mind and see what was in front of her.

There was a weighted pause, then Ahsoka shook her head and stepped forward, the hilt of her saber still extended to Brenna as an offering. When Brenna didn't take it immediately, the hilt lifted from the Togruta's hand and began to levitate slowly towards Brenna, the sight causing her to suck in her breath. "I didn't steal it, Brenna. I made this weapon with my own two hands. It's my life, and for now I'm giving it to you."

Now they were only a few paces apart. Ahsoka's eyes had not left Brenna's, not once, and she realized that her own eyes were pricking with unshed tears. Everything else fell away: Arcas' body, the alarm, the glow of the consoles and the presence – somewhere – of Zoea and the rest of the criminals who'd taken her life away from her. Brenna tried to swallow back her grief but it refused to stay away, and when she spoke her voice was barely a whisper. "I don't want your life. I want mine back."

Ahsoka nodded once. "I know. I can help you, Brenna. I know it's hard to trust anything right now...but please come with me."

Brenna wanted to trust that Ahsoka spoke the truth, but she was afraid as well, because right now she felt like she was standing at the edge of a precipice, looking into the unknown, into a great inky blackness, and this woman – Ahsoka – was asking her to take a step forward and fall.

As if reading her mind, Ahsoka spoke again, her voice quiet against the sounds of running footsteps as Zoea and the others made their way back. Time was even shorter now than it had been, before. "Rex is lost without you, Brenna. Please come with me. Please come back to him."

Rex. Irini. The names were written on her heart, somehow, and she resolved to find out how, and why, for herself. Brenna took a deep breath and nodded slowly, lowering the blaster but keeping her finger by the trigger as she reached forward and took the proffered lightsaber. "Okay. Show me the way."

* * *

_This final scene was one of those I had in my head long, long before I wrote it. I know that I tackle the "memory-loss" trope in a lot of my fics, but there's something about the idea of rediscovering oneself that's endlessly fascinating to me, and I'll likely tackle it again in future stories. _

_In the outline, Bren wasn't supposed to kill Arcas, but Zoea. However, considering the history that Bren and Arcas have, this felt more realistic and intense. _

_Thank you so much for reading! _

_Next time: Bren & Rex's reunion, and angst. Yes, there's going to be angst for a while, though not forever, and I promise you things will balance out very soon. :) _


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

The _Shereshoy _had hardly been in hyperspace for five minutes when the transmission came through. When Rex recognized Ahsoka's code, his stomach dropped to his knees and he gripped Iri tighter than was probably comfortable for the child as he barked an order at his brother to _stop the ship. _Even though neither of them were in the army any longer, Fives did as ordered and as the vessel came to a halt, in a part of space to which Rex didn't give much attention.

Hands trembling, he activated the comm and watched as his friend's image bloomed before him. As she'd been before, Ahsoka was seated at the helm of a small fighter, and she appeared to be alone.

His breath caught.

"_I have her,"_ Ahsoka's voice was quiet and her eyes were solemn, even though the words sent Rex's heart to racing with anticipation._ "Physically, she's fine,"_ his friend continued. _"She's in the gunner's seat behind me, otherwise she'd be here, too."_

"Put her on," Rex replied in a tight voice, adding, "please," a beat later.

However, Ahsoka shook her head and her gaze on his was filled with remorse. _"Rex...I need to tell you something." _She paused, took a deep breath in the manner she did when she was bracing herself, then blinked once. _"The gang who took her did...something to her, Rex. Drugged her or something; I'm not sure exactly what – or why – but she..." _

As he listened, he nearly forgot that Iri was in his arms because every iota of concentration was wrapped around Ahsoka's words as the former Padawan continued. _"Her memory has been...damaged,_" Ahsoka said at last, her eyes squeezing shut for one moment. _"Rex, from what I can tell, she doesn't remember much – if anything – of her past, including you."_

There was complete silence for a moment, during which Rex allowed himself to absorb and process the words, but he shook them off almost immediately. "She will," he replied, straightening. No drug, no artificial thing could replace what they'd shared, of that he was certain. As if agreeing with him, Iri squirmed in his arms and reached out her hands to the hologram as he added: "I know she will. Where are you?"

"_Rex, I'm not sure you understand-"_

But he was shaking his head, his mind already racing ahead to the moment when Brenna would be in his arms and everything would go back to the way it was supposed to be. "What's your location?"

* * *

_Later..._

While she waited for the ship that held those who knew her, Brenna studied the Blue Mountains of Devaron as they loomed above her head, reaching into the fading light of the day; the jagged, cobalt-colored peaks reminded her of _something, _from her past, she reckoned, though studying the image was still like trying to think of the words to a forgotten song.

Ahsoka stood beside her, hands resting at her sides as she, too, looked at the sky. They were in a relatively remote area, far from any city or inhabited community; the only evidence that sentient life had been here at all was a crumbling stone structure that seemed to have been an outpost of some kind in its heyday.

"That's them." Ahoska's hand lifted to the sky, where Brenna could see a small speck of a ship dropping down from the clouds. Both women watched in silence as the roundish freighter descended, coming to rest on the rocky terrain about ten meters from where they stood beside the Togruta's lithe starfighter. Wind from the repulsors kicked up dust and lifted Brenna's hair around her face, and she tried to swallow the sudden nervousness that had begun to flutter in her stomach.

The ship's hydraulics hissed as it settled; moments later a hatch at its side unfolded and lowered to the ground, and she watched as two figures emerged. At first glance, she could see that they were dressed in plain clothing, much as Ahsoka was. There was a man and a woman, both with blond hair, though there the similarities ended. She was slender and quite pale while his skin was a dusky tan and his body was defined with sinewy muscle.

The man's eyes were locked onto Brenna and his steps were swift and filled with purpose. Brenna nearly stepped forward as well but thought better of it, instead choosing to remain in place and wait to see what he would do. The closer he got, the quicker his pace became, and before she could register what was happening, he engulfed her in his arms and pressed her to him tightly. "Bren-"

The strength of his embrace startled her, but it was nothing next to the familiarity with which he shaped her name. It was filled with longing and relief, and it was too much, too intimate. She reacted on instinct, shoving away from his chest and injecting as much ire into her voice as she could muster. "Get away from me!"

At the vehemence of her words, he stared at her, his mouth open just a little and she felt something stir within her at the sudden, stricken look that had appeared in his light-brown eyes, but she forced the feeling back; maybe he knew her, maybe she _had _known him, but right now she didn't recognize this man at all and she did not want him – or anyone – grabbing her until she did.

His hands lifted and he stepped back, studying her with a new kind of intensity. The others, Ahsoka and the blonde woman, were standing nearby, watching but saying nothing, and Brenna got the sense that quite a lot was riding on this moment, this man.

So she took a breath and looked at him. "So I guess you know who I am."

He blinked once, then nodded slowly and she watched as his hands dropped to his sides. "Yeah, I do. But you don't remember me?"

"Hycosine does that," she heard herself say in a bitter voice. "So I heard, anyway."

His head tilted and he looked over Brenna's shoulder, towards Ahsoka. "Hycosine?"

The Togruta's voice was quiet. "Rex, they drugged her with it. I haven't had a chance to look it up, but from what I could tell through the Force, her mind is...cloudy, sort of."

At this, Brenna turned to look at the Togruta, feeling anger rising within her. "You looked into my mind with the Force?"

"Just a little bit," Ahsoka replied. "I needed to know what I was dealing with. I'm know I should have asked you but there wasn't a lot of time, and we didn't get a chance to talk much. I didn't want to press you to remember anything until I had a better idea of what was going on."

"It doesn't matter." Brenna glanced at the blonde woman, who met her eyes hopefully, then she looked back at the fair-haired man standing before her. "Rex. Your name is Rex."

"It is." His voice was very quiet; there was a pause while he considered something, then he spoke again, a touch of authority to his tone. "Irini is with Fives on the ship. We thought it best for...now."

_Irini._ She pursed her lips and searched her memory; the name was familiar, but not enough. Rex's eyes widened again, marginally, then he added: "Irini is your daughter."

_My daughter_? Brenna's throat suddenly felt tight even as she managed to choke out a reply. "Let me see her."

This seemed to relieve him a little bit, and he nodded. "Of course."

The blonde woman cleared her throat, causing Brenna to turn to her. "I'm Marliss...I guess you don't remember me, either." Brenna shook her head and Marliss gave a nod, though she looked stricken, as Rex had. "It's okay. Are you hungry or anything? We have your clothes and all of your stuff...do you want to take a shower after you see Iri?"

Brenna hesitated; she knew that she was filthy and that she probably looked like she'd just crawled out of a garbage-chute, but it took her a moment to override her first inclination at the offer, which was to reject it outright. Marliss seemed nice enough, as did Rex, but she imagined that Zoea had seemed harmless at first, also.

She'd trusted before, and it had led her to a terrible place. However, she'd taken a chance when she'd chosen to come with Ahsoka, hadn't she? The Jedi's lightsaber was still in the pocket of her pants, heavier than she'd thought; the Jedi had insisted that Brenna hang on to it as a physical representation of her honest intentions. Even though Brenna had no idea how to use the thing, she had to admit that it felt better to have a weapon of some kind, especially since she'd thrown away the blaster. She hadn't wanted to look at it, anymore.

But the lightsaber wasn't hers and Ahsoka had kept her word, so Brenna reached into her pocket and offered it to the Togruta, who accepted the cylinder with a small dip of her head. Rex and Marliss' eyes widened a bit at this, but they said nothing as Brenna stepped over to the blonde woman.

_I have to try and trust them,_ she thought. _It might be the only way to get my life back. _"Yes; I do want to see her, but a shower would be good, too."

A look of relief came to Marliss' face as Brenna approached her, and she indicated the ship. "I can show you the 'fresher and everything, if you like," she said as they began to walk, leaving Ahsoka and Rex behind. "It's not much, but I know that a hot shower always makes me feel better. Hopefully it will help you, too."

Brenna glanced behind her; Rex's gaze was fixed on her form and his fists were tight at his sides as if he was angry. Well, she wasn't exactly thrilled with the situation, either, so she looked forward once more and studied the rounded freighter that she was approaching. "Where were you going before you stopped to get me?"

"Alderaan." Marliss looked at her as they stepped upon the loading-ramp that led to the interior of the ship. "The rest of your family's there."

Another glance at Rex; he and Ahsoka were speaking, but at her look he turned and began to walk to the ship as well. She recalled the strength of his embrace and shivered despite herself. Maybe in time she'd remember and everything would not feel so strange.

The interior of the ship was clean but dim, and as Marliss said something about a Kaminoan being present but hiding in another cabin, Brenna hardly noticed because she heard a child's voice, the sound trickling from what she assumed was the cockpit of the ship along with two other voices, one that sounded a lot like Rex's and another that seemed too smooth and mild to be real.

"Mama here?"

The male voice replied. "Er...she's here, but she's very tired, _Iri'ka_. Rex said that she needs to rest for a little bit."

A part of Brenna wanted to rush to the child and see if she remembered, but a larger part of her advised caution. It occurred to Brenna that it was in the little girl's best interest for Brenna to tread carefully around her at first, which included not rushing up to her while covered in dirt and filth, after who-knew-how-many-days of not showering.

No matter how much Brenna wanted to uncover her own mysteries, she felt that Irini's well-being was far more important than her own.

This thought actually heartened her, because if she wasn't the girl's mother, would she feel this way?

Probably not.

Perhaps the things that were truly important had managed to stay within her mind, somehow; if that was the case, she felt a little more hope trickle through, so she glanced back at Marliss, who'd been watching her carefully. "Actually, I'll have that shower now. Thank you."

* * *

As he watched Brenna and Marliss walk away, Rex took another deep breath and tried to collect himself further. He was dimly aware that his hands were trembling and his heart was starting to race, so he worked to shove these physical signs of his agitation aside in the hopes that his emotions would settle as well.

But it was useless.

There had been no words to describe his fury when Ahsoka told him how she'd come across Brenna, captured by some kriffing, _shabla_ gang of would-be criminals who were using the woman he loved to steal money. Ahsoka hadn't told him everything, he knew, because he'd been so desperate to just reach Bren, but what she had told him set his blood on fire.

If he ever got a hold of the people who did this-

"Rex."

Ahsoka's voice was so quiet when laid against the fading light of Devaron, at first he hardly heard her. It was only when he felt the touch of her hand on his shoulder that he registered the fact that she'd said his name. When he spoke, his own voice sounded strange. "She didn't know me at all."

His friend sounded pained, now. "I tried to tell you."

"I didn't listen," he replied, shaking his head slowly as he watched Brenna's retreating figure.

She squeezed his shoulder. "Maybe you didn't want it to be true."

Rex nodded, then cleared his throat and pulled out his comlink to send a quick message to Fives before Bren reached the ship; he had no idea what they should say to Iri, but he didn't want her knowing the real story until he himself had more information. _Fives: Bren's memory is gone. If Iri asks, she's really tired; I'll think of something else to tell her, later._

Ahsoka watched him stow the comlink in his pocket, then gave him a tentative, if somewhat guilty smile. "Like I said, I thought it was best if I didn't try to 'tell' her anything, but I did look into her mind a little bit," she began. "She's scared and uncertain, and I think you need to treat her gently for a while. Rex, I'm no healer, but I think that maybe if she has time to rest and recover...she'll get better."

"You think so?" A chill wind gusted through Rex's jacket; it was getting cooler as the darkness fell around them. "Did you see how she acted when I touched her?"

"You startled her," Ahsoka replied in a steady voice that was completely _Jedi_. "Rex, you rushed over and grabbed her...she was just shocked, is all. It doesn't mean she won't remember you again, but maybe it does mean that you should take things really slow and easy. I know you. I know you want to fix everything right away, but I think you should give her space and time. Be patient."

Despite himself, Rex felt the very faintest of smiles creep to his face. "I can't believe that you, of all people, are telling me to be more patient."

"Times have changed, huh?"

A dry, dark laugh escaped him, though it died when he watched as Brenna reached the loading-ramp of the _Shereshoy_ and glanced his way. They were too far away from each other for him to gauge her expression. _Kriffing hell, how badly did I screw up? _"Yeah, they have."

Brenna and Marliss disappeared into the ship and it was then that he heaved a great sigh and scrubbed at his forehead with his hand. He was still trembling, but he wasn't sure if it was from anger or fear, and he tried to calm himself down again. When he looked back at Ahsoka, he gave her a smile that he knew did not reach his eyes. "Thank you."

She gave a light shrug. "It was the least I could do, Rexter. But don't worry," she added with a smile at him, the kind she'd used in the past to try and bring him out of melancholy. "I'll let you owe me one."

Even though he appreciated her efforts, Rex couldn't find his calm; now that Bren was _back, _but not, he didn't know what he was going to do, and he realized at once that he still felt very much alone, the feeling made even worse by his anger and his helplessness at the predicament. "I can't believe what they did to her," he said at last in a hoarse voice. "I can't believe that I let it happen. I failed her."

"Rex-"

She was going to offer him words of comfort and reassurance, but he shook them away before she had a chance to speak further. When he met her eyes, he ensured that there was durasteel behind his own gaze, because she _had _to understand the extent of his failure. "No," he said, feeling his jaw tighten in his anger at himself and at the ones who'd taken Brenna. "I should have protected her better, should have done more to keep her safe and keep our family together, but I didn't. I _failed_ her, Ahsoka."

The sky was almost completely dark now and he thought that it was time to head inside, but he didn't know if he could move just yet because he wasn't sure if his legs would support his weight. Now that Brenna was back, now that he'd seen some of the damage that had been done to the woman he loved, reality was coming down upon his shoulders, heavier than any nightfall, and he shuddered at the weight of it.

But Ahsoka's next words were quiet, slipping between his grief and his anger and resting gently upon his mind. "You didn't fail her. You took care of her daughter, didn't you? I know that Brenna would have wanted you to do that. Even if she can't say so right now."

Iri's face bubbled to the forefront of his mind and he found that some of the weight lifted. Nodding, Ahsoka continued. "You're too hard on yourself, Rex. You can't carry everything on your shoulders. It's too big a burden, even for you."

He nodded but made no reply. A beat later he looked back her way and studied her carefully. She looked...older, now. More mature, yes, but there was a new kind of heaviness to the Togruta that was unfamiliar to him. In an effort to turn his own thoughts away from Brenna at the moment, he indicated her lithe little fighter. "So what have you been up to, lately?"

"The usual," she replied in a light voice that hid none of her agitation. "Contacting Black Sun vigos to start acquiring a bunch of weapons for a resistance against the Empire. You know...nothing fancy."

Rex let her words sink in as he considered her; she seemed to grow a little younger under his gaze, and he saw a vulnerability in her eyes that had not been there before. After a beat, he cleared his throat. "What else?"

She shrugged again. "Working with Bail Organa...trying to track down any other Jedi that might have survived. I'm keeping busy."

"What about that Bonteri fellow?" He kept his words impassive but he watched her carefully, searching for clues in her expression.

He found them. There was grief, but it seemed heavy and full, more so than even his own at the loss of Brenna; it set him on edge, and now it was his turn to put a hand on her arm. "Ahsoka?"

A sigh escaped her as she crossed her arms and looked away from him, towards her ship. "I broke it off with Lux."

"Why?" Rex was no expert in these matters, but he'd seen how much she cared for the guy. Hell, Bonteri had risked a great deal to rescue her from Coruscant the night of Order 66, so he figured the feeling was mutual, or had been.

Ahsoka pursed her lips and he wondered if she'd make up some excuse to leave, but she replied after a moment. "Palpatine's apprentice, Rex. Darth Vader. Do you know who he really is?"

"The one who led the 501st into the Jedi Temple?" Rex frowned, thinking. He'd heard stories of the black-clad Sith who'd appeared suddenly and without warning, but had assumed that it was some errant Jedi or another, as Dooku had been.

"Anakin."

Rex felt his breath catch and his chest got tight. "No."

The look in her eyes was enough to reveal the truth of what she said and another, different kind of shiver passed over his skin, the kind that sometimes accompanied dread. Ahsoka watched him, then looked up into the sky, at the stars that were starting to appear. "No one knows the whole story, but I've learned enough. He loved Padmé, and his love destroyed both of them." Her eyes were bright but she wasn't looking his way. "Love turned him into a monster...I couldn't risk that happening to me, or risk any harm coming to...anyone else."

For a long moment, Rex didn't reply because he was gathering his thoughts. He'd truly thought that Skywalker had been killed during the infamous Order 66. No matter how skilled a Jedi was, Rex knew well-enough that they were mortal and could be brought down, by overwhelming numbers if nothing else. He'd done his grieving for the man.

But this new information was...well, it was unexpected and remarkably sad, because the Anakin Skywalker of Rex's memory, while often impetuous and brash, was not evil. He was not a monster who murdered younglings.

Rex supposed he'd been wrong about that, too.

Oddly enough, Ahsoka's revelation that love had turned Anakin to the Dark Side did not shake him as much as it seemed to shake her, and at first he wondered why. As he watched her, he understood. "I don't know much about Jedi, Ahsoka," he said quietly, causing her to look at him. "But I do know _you_. I knew him, too; and while the two of you had a lot in common, you are different. Ahsoka."

She'd looked away from him, blinking rapidly; at the sound of her name she turned his way again and he saw that her eyes were bright. He waited a beat, then continued. "You're _not _him. What choices he made...they aren't yours."

In a way, it was good to offer someone else comfort even while he felt like he was breaking from the inside out. It gave him the feeling that he could do _something_ right; he felt like a failure as a would-be husband, but he could be a friend to Ahsoka, still. "You're a good person, Ahsoka. I know that much."

She gave him a wan smile; he could see that she was still uncertain, but he thought that perhaps some of the edge had been taken off of her grief. Finally she spoke. "Thanks, Rexter."

"Anytime, kid."

They stood together in silence for a few more minutes until she glanced his way again, and for a moment she was a gangly, untested fourteen-year-old again. "This is silly...but can I have a hug? You give good hugs."

He had to chuckle at this even as he acquiesced. The embrace was quick but firm, and when they parted he thought that she seemed a little better, then wondered if it was just wishful thinking on his part. She cleared her throat, then took a deep breath. "I should get going. Will you keep me posted?"

"Of course." They exchanged a final warm look, then parted. Rex didn't watch her go to her fighter but he heard the whine of the engines as it took off and made its way into the night. When he reached the loading-ramp of the _Shereshoy_, he took a deep breath and made his way inside.

* * *

_Lots of angst, I know. I hope that Bren's reaction to Rex's enthusiastic greeting felt natural. Also a little more info about Ahsoka, for those of you who were asking. :)_

_Thanks for reading! _

_Next time: Brenna and Iri are reunited. _


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

The first thing that Brenna did after Marliss showed her to the little cabin was lock the door behind her, which gave her a feeling of security and control. Like the rest of the ship had been, the cabin was clean but dimly lit, though the lights that were recessed into the ceiling were merely soft rather than old or flickering. Aside from the single-occupant bunk, there wasn't much, just an adjacent alcove that Brenna thought contained the 'fresher.

Upon the bunk sat a navy-blue duffel bag; an examination of its contents gave Brenna a measure of satisfaction in her choice to try and trust these people, because from what she could tell the clothing was all in her size. Of course, none of it looked familiar, but it was clean, so she decided that would have to do. It was better than nothing, and besides, any belongings she might have had when Zoea and Arcas had abducted her were long gone, now.

Later, when she'd scrubbed off the accumulated detritus of the last few days – and washed her hair, _thank the Force_ – she dressed in a soft, button-up shirt and trousers, both of which were comfortable and felt well-worn, fitting against her body perfectly.

No doubt it was silly to be happy about such things, but they helped improve her mood.

After she'd dressed, bundling the clothes she'd been wearing until now in a ball and shoving them in the bottom of the bag, she examined the rest of the contents, searching for clues. Aside from an old datapad, toiletries and clothing, there wasn't much from which she could glean any information, and for a moment she sat back on the bunk and ran her hands over one of the shirts, trying to _remember_. Suddenly, her fingers touched something hard. Frowning, she pulled a small clear bag from the pocket of the shirt and her mouth fell open at its contents.

Plain silver bands, two of them.

Wedding rings.

_Married? I'm married? _The instant she had the thought she shook it away, because if she'd been married, she would have been wearing one of the rings, wouldn't she? Engaged, then, or planning to get married, at least.

For a moment she only fingered the bands, noting the difference in sizes, then selected the smaller of the two and slid it over the third finger of her left hand. It was a perfect fit. The other ring was a bit larger and she studied it in the soft cabin light. Logically, based on Rex's reaction to seeing her, he was the owner of this ring, but if that was the case, why didn't he have it? Were they at odds for some reason?

Maybe they _had _been planning to get married and he'd been too distraught to go into all of that right away, especially when she'd reacted so strongly to his embrace. She turned her hand, watching as the lights from above her head glinted on the polished silver. Time would reveal the truth of her relationship – whatever it had been – with Rex, and she thought that perhaps she just needed to be patient and wait for her memories to return. In the meantime, Brenna thought that she'd just have to be careful around him, for her own peace-of-mind.

It didn't matter what they'd been to each other, before. What mattered was _right now, _and right now she didn't know quite what to think.

With a heavy sigh, Brenna pulled the ring from her finger and slid both bands into a small pocket of the bag, deciding to resolve the issue later. Some time during her shower, the ship had taken off again and she could hear the faint thrum of the hyperdrive as it carried them to Alderaan. To her family.

She didn't quite know what to make of the thought; as much as she wanted to be happy that she was on her way _home_, she would have been a lot happier had she remembered what kind of a home she was coming back to. It wasn't that she felt afraid – perhaps she'd used up all of her fear while in captivity – but rather that a sort of hollow numbness had taken over her mind, like her brain couldn't process strong emotions any longer. Maybe, she thought, such a thing was a side-effect of the hycosine, so she resolved to find out when she could.

As she looked around the cabin again, an uncomfortable feeling began to curl within her stomach, because she was reminded of her recent imprisonment a little too well, even without her hands bound and Zoea drugging her what felt like every other hour.

In any case, she realized that she didn't want to be alone right now.

_I have to trust that things will work out, _she thought as she stood up and made her way to the cabin door, her fingers hovering over the lock-panel. _I have to try to, anyway._

Once she stepped out of the cabin, she could hear that the others were in the lounge at the opposite end of the engine compartment. When she reached the door to the lounge, she paused to listen once more, assessing the room before she entered: there was Marliss' voice, along with Rex's though...surely it was a mistake, as she heard another voice that sounded almost identical to Rex's, engaged in a heated conversation.

"-don't understand why you don't just _tell_ her."

"Fives, she's been through a trauma. Pushing more and more information on her will only make things more frightening and confusing."

"Yeah, well...holding yourself back and keeping your distance from the woman you love isn't going to help, either."

Marliss' voice sounded, clearly discernible among the men. "You didn't see her reaction when he tried to hug her, Fives. I'd be upset, too, if a stranger approached me and started grabbing at me."

There was a huff, then one of the men – Fives, Brenna presumed – spoke again. "Well, of course she reacted that way at first. But this plan of Rex's...it's only going to make things worse. It's silly to hold back. She needs-"

"Fives." It was Rex; his tone held a measure of authority and the other man was instantly quieted. There was a beat, then Rex spoke again, softer. "Ahsoka said that Bren probably just needs time, so that's what I'm going to give her. For that matter, I don't want either of you pressuring her to remember or asking her questions right now, okay? I'll not risk hurting her any more than she's already been hurt."

His words faded at the end, and Brenna had a strange urge to console him, though perhaps it wasn't so strange, considering the wedding rings. Another pause, then Rex spoke again in a language that was only vaguely familiar. She couldn't catch the words, but when he'd finished, Fives sighed audibly. "Yeah, I know. I don't mean to upset her, it's just-"

Rex's voice was quiet again. "I know. It is."

That was when Brenna activated the door and stepped into the room. It was about the size of two of cabins, with a curved and padded bench-like seat around a dejarik table, a kitchenette, and a small porthole that overlooked the swell of hyperspace. Three adults were seated around the deactivated dejarik table: Marliss, Rex and a man – presumably Fives – who resembled Rex so much that Brenna figured it was his twin; save for their clothing, the color of Fives' hair and a small tattoo on the dark-haired man's temple, they were identical.

But none of that mattered because Brenna's eyes had locked onto a little blonde girl who was curled in Rex's lap. She was perhaps two or three, with chubby cheeks and eyes the same color as Rex's – a rich, honey-brown – and her curls were damp, as though she, too, had just gotten a bath. When Brenna entered, the others fell silent and looked at her, as did the little girl – Irini, she remembered Ahsoka telling her – and Brenna's throat went tight.

"Mama!" Immediately, the toddler began scrambling out of Rex's lap in order to reach Brenna, her hands flailing wildly in spite of Rex's grip. "Mama! Mama!"

Brenna stepped closer, staring at the child who was still grasping for her. Her heart was racing, and as she approached, Fives – who'd been seated beside Rex – rose and made room for her at the table. She sat beside Rex and watched in wonder as Irini scrambled out of Rex's arms and into her lap, hugging her as tightly as a toddler was able while the others watched in silence. "_Mama_. Iri miss Mama."

"Iri." Tentatively, Brenna reached up to touch the golden curls of the child. In response, Iri snuggled closer to her, her words having faded to a delighted murmur.

At first, Brenna was stricken with anxiety, because even now, faced with her own child, she couldn't call up any concrete memories of the little girl. There was a blank space in her mind where Iri's birth should have been, and Brenna couldn't remember how she'd chosen the name "Irini" at all.

However, Brenna leaned her head down to Iri's curls and inhaled, and in doing so felt a flare of recognition that went deeper than any memory. _My daughter. Mine. _It didn't matter that she couldn't remember specific events, because this was a kind of bond that was stronger than memory, and suddenly Brenna's eyes were burning. Heedless of anyone else in the room, she embraced Iri fully, hugging the child as close as she could and kissing the little girl's head.

"Iri miss Mama."

"I know, sweetheart," she heard herself reply as her own face became streaked with wet. "I missed you, too."

In the minutes that followed, Brenna knew that the others – especially Rex – were watching the two of them, but she didn't care. For the first time since this ordeal had begun, she felt like things were going to be okay. Brenna held her daughter – _her daughter _– and pressed the little girl close to her heart, silently thanking whoever would listen that they'd been brought back together. This moment was all that mattered, she thought as she felt her body sinking into the first true repose since she'd been captured. _This is all I need._

* * *

There was hope.

Watching Bren and Iri, Rex felt it swell within his chest, pushing aside his grief, anger and fear and replacing them with relief. He'd been so worried when she didn't seem to recall Iri right away, so now, seeing them together was reassuring beyond measure. Maybe things would work out, and all that Brenna needed was time.

Now sitting across from him, Fives caught his eye and gave him a small but encouraging smile, which Rex returned with a nod. Marliss looked like she was about to start crying, so Fives slid his arm around the blonde woman and kissed her forehead gently. No one spoke for some time, but gradually, as Rex watched Brenna and Iri fall asleep together, the others relaxed a little more and quiet conversation resumed.

In truth, Rex hardly paid attention to the words of his brother and sister-in-law, because the majority of his attention was fixed on Brenna and Iri. They were seated beside him, about an arm's length away. In sleep, Bren looked peaceful and he was filled with the urge to scoot closer and wrap his arms around the woman he loved and their daughter.

But he kept his place and did not move, instead folding his hands on the table before him and schooling himself to remain patient. Time was what Brenna needed, so he was prepared to give her as much as he was able, however little it might be.

A moment later, a quiet throat-clear caught Rex's attention, and he looked up to see Fives regarding him thoughtfully, Marliss nestled in the crook of his brother's shoulder. "The long-neck's still in the cargo-bay," the former ARC said, tilting his chin to indicate the direction where the cabin was located. "I think she's sleeping."

"She looked exhausted," Marliss added, glancing up at Fives and placing a hand on his chest. "I felt a little strange about setting her up in the bay, but I didn't think she'd be able to fit on one of the bunks."

Fives shrugged, clearly unconcerned with the Kaminoan's comfort, then he shot Rex another discerning look. "Have you called Alderaan, yet?"

Rex glanced at Bren and Iri again, then shook his head. "Not yet. It's been too hectic and, to be honest..." He frowned down at his folded hands. "I didn't want to say anything until I had a better idea of what was happening with Brenna."

It was the truth, or part of it. The other part was that he wasn't quite certain how he was going to break the news to Caith and Jensine. Even though things looked as if they'd get better, he still knew that their faith and trust in him to protect their family members had been misplaced. But beyond and much larger than his own petty feelings was the knowledge that the information he needed to share was going to hurt the Damaris family a lot more than it hurt him.

In his tenure as a captain, Rex had lost many men to death or to crippling injury – both of which would see that they did not return to the battlefield – and when he'd informed the brothers that remained of their loss, there had been much sorrow, but there had also been a tacit understanding because it was the shared lot of all clones and they had all more or less accepted the reality.

But he'd never had to inform a family that a loved one had been lost, let alone that it had happened as a result of his own negligence. Rex had no idea if it was normal for him to feel that weight on his shoulders at the idea, that oppressive, crushing weight that seemed determined to push any hope from his mind, but there it was.

No, he didn't want to call Caith, but it was necessary. As Bren's...whatever he was now, Rex had a responsibility to do so and he would not shirk it. So he looked back up at Fives and Marliss, and nodded. "Think I'll do that, now."

Marliss cleared her throat and gave Fives a meaningful look. "We'll be at the helm if you need anything."

"Right," Fives added as he and the blonde woman rose and made their way for the doorway. "We're only a day or so from Alderaan. Rex, we'll have her back very soon."

Rex watched them slip out, so that it was only himself, Brenna and Iri, now. He considered making the call from the lounge, then decided against it in favor of not rousing either of his girls, so he slipped out of the bench-seat and stepped into the corridor. From there, he made his way to the cabin he and Iri had been sharing. He didn't like leaving Bren alone in case she woke up, but in the interest of taking things slow with her, he thought it best she not overhear this particular call.

It took a moment for the link to take hold. Voice-only calls like this across the galaxy, while the _Shereshoy_ was in hyperspace were uncommon, but mods had been made to both Rex and Caith's comlinks to allow for such a thing. When Caith answered, he sounded bleary with sleep and Rex winced as he realized that it was the middle of the night on Alderaan.

"_Rex...what's wrong?"_

Taking a breath, Rex began to speak. "I'm sorry to wake you up, but something's happened..."

It took him about seven minutes to fully explain, then there was silence for a good fifteen seconds – not that Rex was keeping track or anything – before Caith replied. _"But she's back, now?"_

"She is," Rex said, leaning against the bulkhead wall of the cabin and closing his eyes. "As far as we can tell, she's physically unharmed-"

"_Except her memory is shot."_ Caith's voice was grim and Rex winced.

"It looks that way."

There was a beat, then the other man gave a heavy sigh, and Rex got the impression that he was rubbing his forehead. _"And you said that Iri's okay, too?"_

That, at least, was something that Rex could be a little pleased about. "She's perfect. Brenna seemed to recognize her, which is a good sign." He paused, then cleared his throat. "Caith...I'm sorry. I should have-"

"_Not now, Rex,"_ Caith broke in, the curt tone of his voice making Rex's stomach sink. _"Thanks for letting me know, but I need call Mom and tell her what's going on."_

It was a voice-only call, but Rex felt himself nodding, anyway. "There's just a bit more. The Kaminoan we found; she's with us, and she needs a place to work."

"_A Kaminoan? Here?"_

"We didn't have any other options..."

There was another sigh, then a muffled bit of words as if Caith was speaking to someone else – Edme, Rex figured – then he replied, his tone a little more normal. _"Well, I suppose it's a good thing that your brothers moved to the station-hands' old quarters. Sounds like we'll need the room."_

The mention of his brothers sent a thrill of anticipation through Rex, and he realized that he would be happy to be in their company again, despite everything else. Still, he didn't want to take up any more of Caith's time and he was anxious to return to Brenna and Iri, so he spoke again. "Thank you for being so understanding, _vod_."

There was a beat of silence, then Caith replied. _"I'll see you, soon."_

The words were still sharp, and Rex knew that the other man was upset. He didn't blame him. After they signed off and he pocketed his comlink, Rex leaned his head back against the bulkhead and exhaled. _It will be okay, _he told himself, repeating the mantra again and again. _It will work out. Just be patient. _

When Rex returned to the lounge, Bren and Iri were still seated more or less upright and were still fast asleep, embracing each other. For a moment, he stood in the doorway, watching them sleep.

His girls.

As he looked at them, Iri's eyes opened and she blinked a few times as her mouth stretched into a yawn. He knew that it was better for her to be in bed and although he was loathe to pull her from her mother's arms, Rex wanted Iri's routine to stay as normal as possible. Besides, he knew from experience that sleeping on the bench-seat was not comfortable in the least, and it was silly to do so when one had access to a perfectly nice cabin.

Though he tried to keep his steps soft, Brenna awoke as well and her eyes fell on him, widening slightly as if she were alarmed. Rex lifted his hands in the galactic symbol of _I mean you no harm, _and indicated the doorway behind him. "I was going to put her down in our cabin," he said quietly, watching Bren's expression. "The bunk's far more comfortable than this seat."

In response, Brenna looked down at the little girl who blinked up at her. "Mama?"

"I'm right here, sweetheart," Brenna replied in a soft voice, then she bent to kiss Iri's forehead.

The toddler sighed and closed her eyes again, which was when Brenna looked back at Rex. "I want to stay with her."

"Of course," he said with a nod.

Brenna seemed to debate something, then she got to her feet; he watched as she seemed to keep her movements as steady as possible so she wouldn't rouse Iri and she came to stand about an arm's length from him. Rex led the way through the corridor, to the cabin that he and Iri had been using, though he sighed to himself when he saw a few errant pieces of Iri's clothing that he'd not had time or inclination to clean up.

"Sorry, I'll get these."

As he bent to retrieve the toddler's things and gather his own belongings, he could feel Brenna's eyes on him; once he collected his bag – Iri's was separate – he indicated the door. "I can bring your stuff in here, if you like."

She paused, then nodded once. "Okay. Thanks."

Rex made to step past her and leave, thinking that maybe it was better for him _not _to be in the same room with her right now, when she froze him with her words. "Are you her father?"

Slowly, he turned and met Brenna's eyes. "Technically...no," he said, and watched as she frowned as if in disappointment. "But...I want to be," he added quickly. "I'm trying."

He paused again, then set down his duffel bag and reached out to skim a hand along Iri's curls, savoring their softness beneath his fingertips. "I love her like my own."

As he said this, he studied the little girl and felt a swell of pride for her, because she'd come through this ordeal so well, and although he figured that more hardship was to come, Iri had proven herself to be strong. _A real warrior._ He smiled despite himself.

"Are we married?" Bren asked.

Rex met her eyes and watched for her reaction. "No."

Was it wrong for him to feel a thrill of happiness when her face fell, just a little bit, like she'd wanted a different answer? Kriff, he wanted to sweep her into his arms and give her a crushing kiss, the kind that he knew she loved, the kind that made his entire body ache with a longing to be closer to her, but he kept himself still. _Patience_. _Time_. These would be his allies, as long as he allowed them to be.

So instead of kissing her, he dropped his hand from Iri's soft baby-curls and gave Brenna what he hoped was a warm look, even as he could see that she was trying to remember, even as she seemed to struggle to find her next words. "But we're...close?"

Images whirred through his mind: drowsy kisses in the middle of the night when they both should have been sleeping; the glow in her eyes that always came about when he made her laugh; a quiet, shared smile over the dinner table; the way her breath always caught a little when she'd seen him in his armor, during his army days; how her voice shaped his name in the heat of shared passion, _Rex..._

And now she was looking at him as if he were a stranger that she'd bumped into on the street, like none of these things that they had shared over the past year were seared within her mind as they were in his. "Yes," he managed at last. "We are."

She sighed and reached one hand up from Iri to rub at her forehead, but said nothing further as she moved to the bunk to set the toddler down. Unthinking, Rex followed her and slid the blankets aside so that they could tuck Iri in, and for a moment it was like things had been; Bren gave him a little smile and a quiet, "thank you," and he nodded, pleased.

However, as he leaned back up from the blankets, his fingertips accidentally brushed Bren's arm and he watched with dismay as she visibly flinched from the sudden contact. Anger pierced him again, stronger than before.

What had they done to her, to make her revile a simple touch?

Before, when Ahsoka had indicated the state in which she'd found Brenna, Rex had considered this subject, briefly, until he'd had to force the idea out of his mind for his own sanity. When Rex thought about Bren being violated in _that _manner, all he could see was a haze of red across his vision, and the word "fury" felt small and meaningless next to the force of his emotion.

No matter what, there would be no power in this galaxy or any other that would keep her abductors safe, should they ever be unlucky enough to cross his path.

But before he could dwell on any of that for too long, she looked at him again. "You and Fives...you're twins?"

The question made him sink into the floor a little bit, disappointment pushing him down. "No," he replied. "Clones. From the Wars."

He watched as recognition sparked in her eyes, and felt a little better when she spoke. "That makes sense, I guess."

There seemed to be more that she wanted to say, but she was quiet for a moment longer, so he schooled himself to restraint. When she looked at him again, there was something like earnestness in her eyes, a trace of the Bren he knew. "I want to trust you," she said slowly. "I think I'll be able to, but it will take time."

Ironically enough, time was something that he didn't have to give, but he didn't say such a thing because it didn't matter, right now. If she needed time, he was prepared to give her as much as he could, as much as she needed. Whatever she needed, he wanted to give. Genetics be damned.

So he nodded once and savored the warm brown of her eyes. "I hope so, Bren." He paused; there was so much that he wanted to tell her, but he knew it was for the best to keep quiet, for now. Patience.

Inwardly, he sighed. It would be the death of him.

"I'm more than willing to wait," he said at last, ensuring that his words were careful and measured; all-too-well did he remember her reaction when he'd first seen her, and wanted to avoid a repeat. "You have my word."

She nodded, then cleared her throat, which he took as his cue to leave. However, as he turned to go, her voice stopped him again. "Thank you, Rex."

_I love you, _he wanted to say, but he only nodded again, and slipped out the cabin door.

* * *

_Thank you for reading! The angst continues...sigh._

_Next time: talking with Nala Se._


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

For a moment Rex stood outside the closed door, leaning against the solid object and taking a few deep breaths to steady himself; it was so difficult to do this, to walk out and leave Brenna alone when his instincts were screaming at him to rush back in the room, take her in his arms and kiss her senseless.

But no. He inhaled and counted to ten, releasing the breath in a long, slow draw. _Patience and time._

To distract himself, Rex moved away from the cabin that held his entire life and made his way to the cargo bay, where Nala Se was ensconced. Marliss' earlier words made him realize that he'd neglected to even think much about the Kaminoan in light of everything else that was going on, and he resolved to rectify the situation immediately. After all, she was the primary reason he'd wanted to leave Alderaan.

It was almost completely dark in the cargo bay but there was a faint light that was cast from several datapads that surrounded Nala Se, who was seated on a crate of supplies, making notes against one of the 'pads. Open and devoid of much clutter save for several crates, it was a few degrees cooler in here than in the rest of the ship, but if memory served, the long-necks – no, the Kaminoans – preferred it this way.

After the door hissed open, Rex stood at the entryway and regarded Nala Se for a moment, waiting for her to acknowledge him, but she did not. Rather, he heard quiet mumblings coming from her direction, and he watched as she bent to select another datapad, comparing its readout with the one she held. From what he could make out in the faint light – and it wasn't much – it seemed that Marliss had also managed to equip the Kaminoan with a robe of some kind to replace the tattered garment she'd been wearing when the clones had found her, and Rex was again thankful for Marliss' help.

Additionally, Rex was at something of a loss because he had no idea how to casually greet a Kaminoan, but he felt odd barging in and questioning her, so he cleared his throat and took a few steps closer to her in the hope that she'd look up.

Nothing.

Nala Se muttered to herself, setting down one of the datapads and selecting another – _kriff, there must __be at least half a dozen scattered around the floor_ – so that she could make some more notes.

Since it seemed like she wasn't going to look up, Rex took another step forward and spoke. "Do you need anything else, ma'am?"

If he hadn't been so tired he would have been amused at the way that she started, her slender neck jerking upright and her head swiveling around so that she could look at him with wide eyes. "Do I...no, thank you." Her head tilted and he watched as she blinked once. "Rex. Your designation is Rex. Is that correct?"

"It's my name, if that's what you mean," he replied, moving another step closer. "I don't really go by my old number any longer."

He didn't know what kind of reaction he expected from the Kaminoan at that statement, and admittedly, there'd been a measure of unintended harshness to his words, but she only nodded once, then looked back at the 'pad in her grip. "I am glad."

He couldn't stop himself. "Glad?"

Nala Se looked back up at him. Her gray eyes were strangely luminous in the light of the datapads scattered around her. "Yes. I am glad that you were able to...extract independence from your conditioning. It pleases me."

Identities were highly prized commodities among the clones, even now when they were no longer part of an army of identical faces. It took a lot for a clone to shake the conditioning that the Kaminoans had ingrained within the clones and find out who he _was_, and the general consensus through the ranks had been that the long-necks had done everything they could to prevent such a thing from happening. On Kamino, independence was a defect and was not tolerated.

So in all his days, Rex never thought he'd hear a Kaminoan say that she was _glad_ he'd found his.

For a few minutes he didn't know quite how to reply, so he only watched her. Finally, she looked up at him again, and he got the sense that she was choosing her next words with care. "Your child. What is her age?"

"Iri's about three years old," he replied as his stomach dropped, just a little bit. "Why? Did she seem...abnormal, for a clone?"

Nala Se's head tilted; it was a purely Kaminoan gesture that indicated confusion. "She is not a clone."

"No...no, of course not," he said, furrowing his brows. "She's the child of a clone and of a...normal Human woman. But I'm...concerned."

Silence. The Kaminoan regarded him patiently while Rex worked to formulate his thoughts about his daughter. Finally he exhaled and took a seat on a nearby crate, resting his elbows on his knees. "Her motor skills are extraordinary for a child of her age," he began, thinking of Iri's finger-paintings. "And she's a remarkably fast learner, both of which I suppose can be attributed to the...altered genetics of Fett clones."

Nala Se nodded once in understanding and he continued. "But I wonder what else we share," he said as his eyes closed briefly. "I'm concerned that her life is to be half as long, as mine will be."

Saying the words aloud sent a chill through him, and he shot the Kaminoan a glance to try and gauge her reaction, which was another simple nod that made him feel sick to his stomach. He knew it; Iri was destined to die before her time, and it was wrong, it wasn't fair-

"How much of the treatment did the child receive?"

Rex frowned in confusion. "What treatment?"

The Kaminoan blinked at him again, but this time he almost thought it was with amusement. "The accelerated maturation treatment. How much of it did she receive, and was it while she was in utero or after she was born?"

All he could do was blink and shake his head. "Accelerated maturation treatment? What is that?"

Nala Se exhaled, a delicate sound, and straightened her spine to regard him from her full height, which was considerable. "You are not familiar with the process."

At this, Rex shrugged. "What's to be familiar with? You...the Kaminoans tweaked our genetics so we'd age at twice the rate of a normal Human. Right?"

"In a manner of speaking." Save for the hum of the hyperdrive, there was quiet for a moment and Rex felt a combination of tension and excitement rolling themselves into a ball within him while he waited for Nala Se to elaborate. When she did, her voice had all but lost the muddled timbre it'd had since he and Fives had found her, and she sounded like every other long-neck in his memory: cool, competent and distant.

"Cloning a life-form is not simple," she began, regarding him with an expression he took to be thoughtful. "Even when no enhancements are desired, it is not a matter of strict replication. This is because there are innumerable complications that can arise during even the most straightforward process.

"In the case of the Republic's Fett clones, it was discovered that the modifications of the aging rate in the already-modified template that was used to create the clone army were detrimental to the clones' ability to process information once they matured fully. Further study proved that, while it was inadequate to modify the clones' aging in this way – at the genetic level of the template – there were no adverse effects on the final product, if the clone was treated while in the growth-vat."

Rex shook his head, which was starting to spin with the new intel. "So...if you tweaked the aging process on the template that you used for all the clones, they didn't turn out well. But if you treated us while we were in our growth-jars, we came out normal." _Or as normal as a genetically-altered super-soldier can be._

The Kaminoan blinked at him, and the corners of her mouth lifted in the tiniest approximation of a smile. "Yes."

His mind racing ahead, Rex leaned forward towards her, clasping and unclasping his hands in his excitement. "Since Irini was never treated with this...'accelerated maturation' stuff, you're saying that her aging will be normal?"

"That is correct," Nala Se replied, glancing back down at the 'pad in her slender fingers. "However, as you noted, it is likely that she will retain the other alterations of your genetic structure: the accelerated learning and advanced cognitive processes."

"What about the obedience? Will she be more inclined to...follow orders?"

The Kaminoan looked back at him but did not say anything for a long moment; when she did speak, her voice was quiet and – he thought – a little sad. "It is not widely discussed, but you and your fellow clones were something of a triumph, even among my people. While much of your nature was specified in the genetics laboratory, just as much was defined in the manner in which you were trained.

"Yes, Rex; there was emphasis placed on inhibiting certain...tendencies of the host, of Jango Fett, on the genetic level, but I daresay more effort was focused on training you once you were free of your growth-vats. At least," she added, glancing back down at her 'pad though her eyes appeared to be unseeing. "That was my experience."

For a few minutes, it was all he could do to sit in stunned silence, his thoughts whirring with the implications of what he was hearing. No doubt, Rex had learned well-enough that a clone could shake off his conditioning if he wanted, but before now he'd never had a reason to know if it was "nature" he and his brothers were fighting, or "nurture." It was oddly heartening to hear this, because – even though much of his memories of Kamino and its denizens were cold and utilitarian as the Kaminoans themselves – the idea that his life was not totally preordained by virtue of his genetics was a good one.

Additionally, the realization that Irini's life would be as normal as it could filled him with relief, more so than he'd ever felt before, and he nearly forgot all of his other problems as he looked back up at Nala Se, wanting to express his gratitude for the information but not quite sure how.

"It was time-consuming and costly," she said suddenly, her eyes still on the 'pad. "Treating each vat individually rather than modifying the template's aging, I mean. In the end, however, it was decided that the final product was well-worth the effort. Would that Spaarti Creations had looked at the matter in a similar way. Perhaps they would not have botched their products so badly."

"The Spaarti clones?" Rex asked, blinking. "You know of them?"

They'd begun to replace the "normal" Fett clones in the final months of the Wars, but Rex had learned very quickly that they were inadequate substitutes; poor aim, sloppy thinking, and a whole host of other "defects" had made the Spaartis pretty much useless as soldiers, especially compared to Rex and his brothers.

Nala Se nodded once. "Lama Su was...displeased at the Chancellor's decision to contract with Spaarti Creations – and using our template, no less – but such was the nature of the deal that had been struck with the Republic. In the end, there was nothing he – or any of us – could do."

Rex hadn't seen a Spaarti clone in a long time, but he was glad to have some idea of what was "wrong" with them. They _couldn't_ fight their natures, it seemed, and didn't have enough time to get much in the way of nurturing. Perhaps the thought should have saddened him more, but his mind turned back to his other, immediate concerns.

"I'm glad that you came with us," he said as he sat back up and rested his hands on his lap. "I hope that you will be comfortable on Alderaan."

She shook her head, the gesture conveying mild indifference. "As long as I can complete my work, it makes no matter to me." Here she paused and regarded him with her quicksilver eyes. "But I am glad of the chance to help you and your brothers. It is...fitting."

This was curious, indeed. "Fitting? How?"

There was a long pause, then Nala Se blinked and turned back to her 'pad. "I find that I am in need of rest, now. Thank you for your inquiry about my comfort."

It was as much of a dismissal as anything else, but Rex didn't feel annoyed. Rather, he nodded once and rose from his seat to slip out of the cargo bay and return to the main body of the ship.

The _Shereshoy_ was quiet. Rex thought that Fives and Marliss were at the helm but he didn't feel like checking because his mind was still reeling a little bit from the conversation, and he had a sudden longing to see Iri again and examine her with this new information in mind.

When he reached the cabin where he'd left Bren and Iri, he checked himself. They both needed rest and he knew that it was better for him to give them space, no matter how much he wanted to slip inside and curl up beside them both. Better that he return to the cabin where Marliss had taken Brenna earlier and try to get some rest himself, as he knew he needed it, too.

However, this thought reminded him that he'd neglected to bring her bag like he said he would, _and_ he'd left his own in the cabin with her and Iri. Either he was growing more forgetful with age or he had too much on his mind and some things were starting to drop out. That, or he more tired than he cared to believe. With a sigh, Rex made his way for the third cabin, noting that he could hear Fives' snoring sounds from within the cabin that the former ARC and Marliss shared. He grabbed Bren's bag, then headed back to the cabin where she and Iri were ensconced.

This time, as he reached the door to the room, he heard Brenna cry out as if in pain. Iri's panicked wail sounded a moment later as Bren began shouting something he couldn't quite make out through the bulkhead. But it didn't matter what she was saying because the fear in her voice pushed Rex's protective instincts into overdrive and he pushed into the dark room without a second thought.

Brenna and Iri were both on the bed, but the toddler appeared to be wide awake, crying as she curled up with one of the small pillows while her mother was lying beside her. Brenna appeared trapped in a nightmare; her body was wracked with shudders and Rex could hear in her sucking in her breath the way she did when she cried. The bag fell from Rex's hand and he moved forward, first activating the lights, then hurrying to take Iri in his arms and press her to his chest as he tried to soothe the little girl. In the soft light he could see that Bren was weeping in addition to her pained cries, and he reached one hand out to steady her shoulder, repeating her name in a steady tone to wake her up.

"Bren, it's okay," he murmured even as he held Iri close. "Brenna, you're safe. I promise."

Her face was contorted with fear and his heart twisted, so he supported Iri with one hand and reached his other arm beneath Bren's shoulders to scoop her up as quickly as he could. Still asleep, she resisted at first but soon he felt her relax into his side as her arms came up to embrace him and Iri alike. For a few moments Rex was surrounded by their fright, then they each gradually began to quiet until Iri was hiccuping softly and Brenna's breathing steadied, becoming more so as she woke fully. Absently, Rex kissed her forehead.

At this motion, she looked up at him and he felt his heart lurch, because he was certain _that _had crossed the line, wherever it was now.

But before either of them could say anything, Iri spoke, her words punctuated with little hiccups. "Mama?"

"It's okay, sweetheart," she replied, slipping out of Rex's arm and reaching for Iri. "I'm right here. I didn't mean to wake you up."

Rex let her take the little girl, but he'd already made a decision. He let Brenna embrace the toddler for a moment, then cleared his throat quietly. When Bren looked at him, he ensured that his voice was calm and soothing, which was – he thought – quite a feat, given the circumstances. "Are you alright?"

She gave a halting inhale, then nodded as she held her daughter close. Otherwise she was silent, so Rex took a deep breath. "Perhaps it's better if you sleep in another cabin, for now."

"What?"

Brenna's eyes widened and her lips parted as if in shock when she looked at him, but he glanced down at Iri instead. "_Iri'ka_, I'm going to talk to your mother just outside the room for a minute; will you be a brave girl and wait here? I promise I'll be right back."

Again, he felt a swell of pride for the toddler as she gave a grave nod. He kissed her forehead, then stood up, watching as Bren placed her back on the bed, then they both slipped out of the cabin. The moment that the door closed behind them, Brenna glared at him. "What are you talking about?"

"It looked like you were about to start getting...violent. Not on purpose," he added as her eyes widened again. "But you saw how frightened she was. And Bren...I can't risk that you could...hurt her, even unwittingly. If you were to strike out in your sleep and hit her..."

Bren hugged her arms to her sides and looked behind her at the cabin door. Rex wanted to embrace her but kept his hands still and waited for her to find her voice. When she did, it was hushed. "I'm sorry."

She looked lost. There was no other word for it, and Rex couldn't stand it any longer. Tentatively, he reached out and touched her shoulder; she flinched, but he did not lift his hand, this time. "It's not your fault," he said in a quiet voice. "I know that you would never knowingly hurt her. But Iri's well-being is my first priority, and I can't take the chance that you might do something that would harm her, even on accident. Do you understand?"

Brenna took a deep breath and nodded, then looked back at him. "I do. I just...I feel lost. I know she's _mine_, but I can't even remember giving birth to her. Just like I know that you and I have _something _between us, but I can't kriffing remember..." Her words petered out and she gave a sigh that was part frustration and part sorrow.

But she had not pushed Rex's hand from her shoulder. He gave a squeeze and met her eyes. "You will," he said as she looked at him. Strangely enough, it was easier for him to be strong, now. "I'll help you. And in the meantime you have my word that I'll keep her safe."

It felt like hours passed as she studied him, but it was only a matter of moments. Finally she nodded once, then brushed her eyes with the back of her hand. "Okay, Rex. Thank you."

He nodded as well and dropped his hand from her shoulder even as he continued to study her. "What was it? The nightmare, I mean."

A tight, humorless laugh escaped her. "I don't remember, now."

They reentered the cabin and Rex stood by while Brenna gathered her things. Iri had fallen asleep again on the bunk and did not wake when her mother bent to kiss her head. Moments later, Bren had slipped out of the room, leaving him alone with his daughter. After he removed his boots and dimmed the lights so that they were only giving off the faintest glow, Rex slid into bed beside the child – taking the utmost care not to jostle or disturb her – and put his hand over her shoulder, feeling for himself that Iri was alright.

Once he ensured that her breathing was steady and she was asleep, he allowed himself to drop off as well.

* * *

The next time that Rex opened his eyes, it was because a tiny hand was tapping his cheek, and Iri was speaking to him in a worried voice. "Where Mama?"

Out of long-ingrained habit from his army training, Rex was awake the instant his eyes were open, allowing himself to formulate a response to Iri's innocent question. In all honesty, he wasn't quite sure how much information about Brenna's condition – what he knew of it, anyway – would be wise to share with his daughter. Even though she'd probably heard more than she should have already, he wasn't sure how much she understood, and he was wary of scarring her emotionally or frightening her any more. But he also disliked the idea of trying to hide anything. After all, Bren was her mother and Iri deserved to know something was going on, even if she didn't need to understand the full extent of it all.

He was lying on his side, his head pillowed on his bent elbow while Iri was curled against his chest, her head resting on the actual pillow as she'd reached for his cheek to wake him up. Her eyes were wide and he could see that she looked frightened, so he pulled her closer and kissed her forehead. "Mama is sick," he explained as he stroked her hair. "She's not feeling very well, _Iri'ka_, and we don't know how much longer it will be before she feels better."

Iri was quiet for a moment and a glance down showed him that she appeared to be working over the information. He couldn't help but smile to himself at her expression, so like any Fett clone's. Genetics or not, Irini was thoughtful and perceptive, and he felt a swell of pride for her despite his other feelings of helplessness.

Finally she looked up at him again. "Why Mama sick?"

"I don't know, kiddo," he answered after a moment, thinking back to Bren's initial disappearance and deciding to spare Irini any more details for the time being. No matter how much he wanted to shelter her from the situation, there was no way that he could prevent her from knowing that something was wrong. Was it always this way, for a parent? He didn't know. "I wish I did."

There was another pause, during which he could practically see her turning over the information in her mind, and he stroked her hair again. "No matter what, Irini, I'm here for you, okay? I'm not going anywhere, and I love you. Mama does too, even though she doesn't feel good right now."

That was true enough, anyway; he'd seen it in Bren's eyes when she looked at her daughter. Even if she didn't remember giving birth, he thought that there were some bonds that were unable to be broken by memories, or lack thereof, and he tried not to feel anxiety that the one between himself and the woman he loved might not be one of those.

Like all soldiers, Rex hated feeling helpless but there was nothing else he could do right now but wait and hope for the best. Perhaps, he thought, returning to Bren's home planet would jog her memory a bit more; perhaps spending more time together would help return her memories of what they'd shared.

Perhaps.

He exhaled and tried to dispel his worry into the air.

Another soft tap at his face, this time against his chin. Rex looked down at his daughter and noted the curiosity in her gaze. "You okay, kiddo?"

"Rex...is..." Her face scrunched up as if deep in thought, which made him fight back a chuckle. "Rex is...Daddy?"

The chuckle faded, swept away by bewilderment. Rex's very first thought was that the "designation" was passing strange, but he shook that feeling away, because it was a just an automatic, gut reaction. However, he still felt a thrill of terror over the idea, because he really _didn't_ know what he was doing and he just knew that he was screwing something up with her, but...

Well, he didn't have a choice. He'd had to step up and take care of Iri when Bren disappeared, and she seemed...okay, actually. Not thrilled with the way her mother was, right now, which was to be expected, but...okay. She was eating and sleeping just fine, she hadn't had a tantrum in a while, and she seemed about as normal as she'd been prior to this experience.

Suddenly, he wondered if Cut Lawquane had ever felt this way – the sheer, utter terror that he was irreparably damaging his child – and wished very much that he could speak to the other clone. Cut's family had always been in the back of his mind, in one way or another; the other clone had represented a fantasy for Rex, an idealized situation that he had once thought he could never have. It was a fantasy that he'd rarely allowed himself to dwell on during his army days.

But now Rex had a family – more ore less – and he'd seen for himself, even before this trip, even before Bren's abduction, how messy and complicated a family could be, more so than he'd ever understood.

But it was better than he'd ever guessed, either.

"If you want me to be, _Iri'ka_," he managed at last as he looked down at her, into honey-brown eyes that were as familiar as his own, but were set in Brenna's face. "I love you, and I'd be proud to call myself your dad."

She smiled, wide and toothy, then ducked her head and snuggled into his chest, her little arms hardly spanning the breadth of it.

"Daddy," she murmured, and buried her face in his shirt, inhaling deeply as he reached his hands up to hold her closer. Rex took a deep breath, then planted a kiss on the top of her her head.

Maybe, just maybe, he could do this whole "father" thing, after all.

* * *

_So, while there is lots of angst in this fic, I tried to balance it out with little moments of hope and love, like this one with Rex and Iri, so all the "feels" aren't sad. :)_

_I understand that Karen Traviss has an explanation of sorts for why the child of a clone won't age at twice the normal rate, but since I haven't read her books, I chose to make up my own reasoning. :)_

_Thanks for reading!_

_Next time: starting to put back the pieces. (Kelani-ti, hopefully this is enough of a not-cliffhanger for you. :P)_


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

_Hours ago..._

Even though Brenna knew that Rex was right, that she might unwittingly harm her child, it was difficult for her to face the dark, empty cabin alone. She set her duffel bag on the floor, slipped out of her shoes and curled up on top of the blanket, wishing that sleep would come because she was extraordinarily tired, more so than she thought she should be.

But she remained wide-awake, staring into the darkness and listening to the humming of the engines in the background.

There was no doubt in her mind that Irini was her child; even though Brenna couldn't remember giving birth or giving the little girl her name, she felt that Iri was imprinted on her heart, and she was unable to do anything but trust the feeling. It was not so with anyone else she'd "met," even Rex, and she tried not to feel despondent about such a thing and instead be grateful that she'd been reunited with her daughter.

However, it was hard to feel gratitude when she thought that her own actions would somehow ruin Iri for life. She'd seen that it hurt Rex to have to ask her to sleep somewhere else for now, and she thought that he'd not anticipated her night-terrors any more than she had, but it still pierced her heart. Flailing nightmares aside, Brenna couldn't begin to imagine what Iri must be feeling right now; her mother was "sick," but no one really understood how or why, and Brenna herself didn't feel fit to be a parent.

Especially when she'd killed someone.

It was not something that she wanted to dwell on while she lay alone in the darkness but the moment replayed in her mind's eye again and again. She'd killed, she'd taken Arcas' life. Yes, it had been in self-defense, but nevertheless...a man was dead because of her, and she wondered if the vaguely sick feeling in her stomach was a sign that she'd not done this kind of thing, before.

There was so much she didn't know, anymore. A part of her, a small, bitter part that flourished in the dark emptiness that had taken over her mind, reiterating the fact that she was no longer fit to be a parent, if indeed she had ever been.

_Have I already scarred Iri for life? _She tried to cast her own memory back to get a sense of her own childhood, searching for a similar experience from which she could draw some kind of knowledge, but there was nothing.

Her mind was dark and empty, and she shivered.

No, Brenna didn't think she was fit to be around the little girl, for now, and as much as it pained her, it was in Iri's best interest that she keep her distance until her memories started to return.

If her memories didn't return...

She refused to think about that. Instead, she rose and fumbled through her duffel bag for the datapad. Settling back into the bunk, she called up a query for Alderaan and spent the next hour or so looking at pictures of mountains and grassy, windswept plains and trying to remember until she managed to fall asleep.

When she awoke again, she thought that she truly had been more tired than she'd reckoned, because a glance at her chrono showed that she'd slept rather late. In fact, a moment of listening indicated that the only reason she'd even woken up was the sound of Iri's laughter as it reverberated through the ship, pulling Brenna from her slumber. If she focused, she could hear a man's voice – well, two men, though they were so similar – and a woman's as well, coming from the lounge area, which meant the others were all up and about, she supposed.

Now that she was awake and her nightmares were far away, Brenna was able to pull herself out of the bunk. Several minutes later, she made her way to the lounge. Before she entered, she took a deep breath, then stepped inside.

Four heads turned her way, four pairs of eyes fell on her, but it was Irini who spoke a greeting first, as if untroubled by the previous night. "Hi, Mama!"

Brenna couldn't help but smile as the toddler waved a chubby hand in her direction while with the other one, she scattered a portion of dried cereal across the table, nearly knocking over a small thermos that Rex neatly caught before it fell.

"Hi, sweetheart," she replied, watching as Rex's gaze swept over her as if assessing her condition. She met his eyes and gave him a small smile, to show that she didn't have any heard feelings for his words to her the night before. He'd been right, anyway. Rex nodded once and his eyes on her were warm, and a little sad.

"'Morning, Bren," Fives said in a conversational voice. "Hungry? We're done, but I can grab you another ration-pack if you like."

She hesitated, then nodded once; while the clone slipped out of his seat and headed for the kitchenette, Brenna cast a look at Marliss, who nodded to the table. "Have a seat," the blonde woman said with a smile as Fives bustled around in the cabinets of the kitchenette.

There was a beat of silence as Brenna slid down beside Iri, then Fives returned and handed her a container of food. "It's not pretty," he said as he took his seat again. "But it's filling."

"Not particularly tasty, either," Rex added as he watched Brenna grimacing after taking a bite of something green and mushy. She met his eyes and he chuckled, smoothing back a strand of Iri's hair as the child shoved a handful of cereal into her mouth. "Not like your mother Jensine's cooking. Or your brother Caith's for that matter."

He said the names casually and didn't meet her eyes when he did so, but she thought that he was most definitely paying attention to her reaction. Brenna swallowed the "food" and considered her family. No image came to mind, and she bit back a swell of disappointment and instead took another mouthful of her breakfast, this time not looking up to see Rex's reaction.

"Oh, I've missed Jensine's food," Fives sighed. "Eating ration-packs and other freeze-dried _osik_ is no way for a clone to live."

At this, Marliss gave the clone an elbow to the ribs, causing him to give a dramatic yelp and rub his side. "Er...but your cooking is _lovely_, darling. Certainly not _osik_, not at all."

As he said this, he put his arm around Marliss' shoulders and hugged her close, grinning as she rolled her eyes. "Fives...you're-"

"Incorrigible, I know," he interrupted, kissing her cheek. "It's why you married me."

Marliss gave a huff, but she was smiling. When they looked at each other, Brenna was struck by the love she could see in each of their faces, and something within her heart constricted with longing.

A quiet giggle drew her eyes to Rex and Iri, and she watched as he ran his thumb along the toddler's cheek, where there was a smudge of what looked to be muja-juice. A few flecks of cereal had gotten caught in the folds of his shirt as he leaned forward, but he didn't seem to notice as he spoke to the little girl. "Are you finished, _Iri'ka_?"

Brenna was struck by how Rex was clearly so comfortable with her daughter, even though he wasn't Iri's "real" father, as he'd said. Coupled with Fives and Marliss across from her, still teasing one another, Brenna felt rather isolated, and wished again that she could _remember_ the connection that she and Rex had shared. It was beyond frustrating, especially when she knew that she had _something_ with Irini; even though she couldn't recall all the minute details of her daughter's life, Brenna thought that some bonds were too strong to be broken.

She just wished it were so with Rex.

"Done," Iri said, giving him a toothy grin, the expression filled with love. He glanced at Brenna, then, and smiled.

She smiled back, then nodded to his shirt, to the bits of cereal that had gotten stuck. "Saving it for later?"

At this, he looked down and sighed, then met Iri's eyes again. "You're messy, _Iri'ka_. Just like your mother."

Her mouth opened to object, but she snapped it shut because she couldn't remember if he was right or not, and the frustration welled within her again. She looked back down at her food, but found that she wasn't hungry in the least. While Fives and Marliss were still speaking to one another, Rex seemed to realize that he'd made an error, so he cleared his throat and looked at Brenna again. "Not always," he said with a half-smile that made her cheeks grow warm. "But sometimes. Enough for me to hard-time you about it."

"Messy Mama!" Iri countered, then pelted Brenna with a handful of cereal that she'd apparently hidden away. Even as Rex shushed the little girl and apologized to Brenna, she pulled the bits of food from her hair and chuckled to herself. When she looked up again, Rex wore an expression of hope that made her heart skip a beat even as she felt herself returning the look.

Things were relatively quiet for a few minutes, until Brenna cleared her throat, which caused the others to look up at her. She took a breath, then looked at Rex, who seemed to tense under her gaze. "I never thanked Ahsoka," she said in a quiet voice. "Do you have some way of contacting her?"

There was a beat while his eyes shifted to Fives, then he looked back her way and nodded once. "We can do so once we return to Alderaan, if you like."

Brenna nodded, then frowned as a new thought occurred to her. "I know she must have risked a lot to help me," she said quietly, studying Rex's reaction to her next words. "So I don't want to endanger her safety by making a report to the authorities about...what happened to me."

Rex frowned, but Marliss spoke up, next. "Are you sure, Brenna?"

"It would make things more complicated than they are already," Brenna replied, toying with the hem of her shirt. "And I don't want to draw any attention to Ahsoka, or you guys, for that matter," she added with a look back at Rex, trying to get a sense of his reaction; his frown seemed to ease, but she noted the tension in his upper body, as though he was trying to prevent himself from moving towards her.

At the sound of her mother's voice, Iri had begun to squirm in the clone's lap, reaching for Brenna, so Rex released her and they all watched as the toddler crept back to her mother. A deep inhale brought Brenna the familiar, warm scent of her daughter, and she took solace in the presence of the little girl, hugging her close as she considered her next question. "Ahsoka seemed to know you...well," she said at last, looking back at Rex. "How did you meet?"

"We served together in the Wars," the blond man replied, then his head tilted and he gave Brenna an inquiring look. "You remember them?"

She frowned. "I remember they happened, and what they were about, but I don't remember what I was doing, during...does that make sense?"

"Not really," Fives broke in. "But we won't hold it against you, Bren."

Rex and Marliss cast the dark-haired clone a scowl, but Brenna actually found herself smiling. "I know it's odd."

"We all served during the Wars," Marliss said, sitting up and giving Brenna a warm look. "You and I were civilian contractors aboard a warship, the _Resolute. _We were roommates."

Brenna stared at the blonde woman, taking in her delicate features and green eyes, and noting the strength behind it all, and did not remember. However, the words reverberated within her mind, _yes, this is how it was, _and she decided to trust that they were true.

"I don't remember," she admitted with a shake of her head. "But...I believe you." She gave a sharp laugh and dropped a kiss on Iri's forehead; the little girl had taken to resting against Brenna's chest, her eyes alert, as if she was listening to the entire exchange. "Kriff...it sounds so crazy when I say it. Doesn't it?"

"No." Rex's voice was steady; she glanced up and saw that he'd folded his hands along the tabletop, and his gaze on her was thoughtful. "It doesn't."

Brenna studied the lines of his arms, noting the sinewy muscle she could see even beneath his long-sleeved shirt, then shot a subtle glance at Fives, comparing the two of them. At first, they seemed identical, but she could make out differences between the two men, the color of their hair aside. Fives was a quivering flame; his leg bounced beneath the table and his hands were constantly in motion. Even now, at rest, he seemed to idly toy with a lock of Marliss' pale hair with one hand while the other drummed against the table.

By contrast, Rex's face, indeed, his entire bearing, was steady and calm as a hydenock tree, and had been so the entire time she'd been in his company – save the first moment they'd seen each other after Ahsoka brought her to them, when he'd seemed stunned at her rebuttal.

"And you and I met on the _Resolute?" _

At this, Rex paused, and it was only because she was looking so closely did she see that he nearly grimaced, and she wondered at the expression. "We were both serving on the ship when we met, but-"

His words were cut off by the door to the lounge opening again, the soft _hiss _causing everyone to look up as a slender, pale-skinned Kaminoan stepped into the room. It took Brenna a moment to remember that Marliss had mentioned the presence of such a being on-board the little ship, but even so, she found that she was at something of a loss as she stared up at the newcomer.

"Who are you?" she heard herself asking before she realized she'd spoken.

The Kaminoan inclined her head and leveled her gray gaze, not on the Human woman who'd spoken, but on the blonde girl who was seated in the woman's lap. When she spoke, her voice was smooth and gentle as a lagoon, pitched to be soothing. "I am Nala Se."

Rex cleared his throat. "Nala Se is assisting us in sussing out a cure for our accelerated aging," he said with a nod to the slender being. "We're hoping that she can complete her work on Alderaan."

At his words the Kaminoan nodded once, but continued to study Iri as though fascinated. The toddler seemed interested as well, and leaned up in Brenna's lap to stare at the Nala Se in return. Beside her, Brenna felt Rex shift just a little bit closer, though out of the corner of her eye she could see he was watching the scene before him. There was no real concern or worry in his gaze; she thought that he was simply being cautious.

"What is your name, young one?" Nala Se's voice was – if possible – even gentler than it had been a moment ago, and Brenna watched as Iri smiled up at the Kaminoan but did not answer.

"Irini Damaris," Rex supplied with a nod. "Brenna is her mother."

At this bit of information, the Kaminoan turned her gray gaze to Brenna once more and blinked, the motion conveying nothing so much as curiosity. Indeed, she began to ask a rapid-fire series of questions, as if hungry for information. "How long was your gestation? Were there any unusual complications during the pregnancy? Did you conceive immediately? Did-"

"I don't know," Brenna said, cutting off the stream of words with a lift of her hand. "I don't...remember."

She heard her voice cracking, but tried to stave off the despair because at this point it would serve no purpose other than to upset Iri. Even so, she could feel the burning behind her eyes that indicated she was about to start crying, and had a sudden, desperate urge to be alone. She glanced at Rex, who was closer than he'd been and watching her with the expression of someone wanting to do something but being unable. "I think I'm actually tired again," she said quickly. "I'm going to go lie down."

He nodded and collected Iri in his arms; the child made a protest, but Brenna didn't stay to listen. Instead, she hurried out of the small room and slipped down to the cabin where she'd slept last night. Not her cabin. It wasn't hers, as nothing in this galaxy – save Iri – was hers, anymore. She belonged nowhere. Even though she was struck with a bone-deep weariness, sleep didn't come.

* * *

Any other time, Rex would have gone after Brenna, but he thought again back to Ahsoka's advice about being careful with her, and instead focused on his daughter. After briefly casting her eyes in the direction her mother had gone, Iri was now gaping up at Nala Se with unabashed curiosity, an expression that was – marginally – mirrored in the Kaminoan's gray gaze. For a moment, Rex thought that Nala Se was going to speak to the toddler, but she surprised him, and instead looked his way and spoke in her soothing voice.

"I have offended the child's mother. I apologize. It was not my intent."

"No, it's not your fault," Rex replied with a shake of his head. "Bren's just...well..." Not wanting to subject his daughter to any _more_ potentially traumatizing conversations, he trailed off and glanced over at Marliss and Fives.

They seemed to catch his meaning, both of them rising from the table and offering to take Irini to the helm for a little bit, so that he could have a moment to speak with Nala Se without worrying what Iri was overhearing. Once Iri and the others had slipped out, Rex took another deep breath and looked up at Nala Se. It was unsettling that she seemed to prefer to remain standing, but perhaps it was just her way. "A few days ago, Brenna was abducted. We're not sure exactly how it happened, but it seems like her captors did...something to her, something that affected her memory. She can't-"

He felt his throat get tight, so he took a deep breath and forced himself to relax, enough to continue, anyway. As it was, his eyes dropped to his folded hands, his forearms outstretched on the table before him. "Her memory isn't what it once was. She doesn't recall people or places she used to be familiar with, though thankfully she and Iri seem to have retained their connection."

"Have you been able to ascertain to what extent her memory has been affected?"

"How can we do that?"

The Kaminoan lifted her hand and made a sweeping gesture that Rex understood was a request for more information. "For example, she was clothed. Did she require aid to dress herself, or was she able to do so on her own?"

"She...did so herself." Rex furrowed his brow. "What does that mean?"

Rather than reply right away, Nala Se gave him another considering look. "You said that she does not recall certain people or places; does she remember the galaxy as a whole? For example-" Her eyes seemed to swirl as she considered. "You said that she cannot recall places that she once knew; if the place was mentioned, did she recall it, then?"

Thinking back, Rex realized that Brenna had indeed seemed to recognize that Alderaan _was _a planet, which he thought was heartening. "Yeah, she did. She also seemed to remember the Wars, though she didn't remember what she was doing during them."

_Or that we met during them, _he thought with a sigh.

There was silence for a moment, then Nala Se bent her knees and took a seat at the edge of the bench, opposite Rex. Her gray eyes were distant and when she spoke her voice was speculative. "I know little of that area of the Human brain," she said as she looked at him without seeming to see the clone. "But from what you have said, the subject – Brenna – appears to have retained her semantic and procedural memories; it seems as if her emotional memories, the ones that are connected with how she feels about individuals in her life, have been affected the most. Do you know how this happened to her? What exactly caused the loss of her memories in the first place?"

"I'm not sure. She hasn't said, and we've been reluctant to push her right away." Rex shook his head, his mind whirring with the new information. It was better to think about the hard factsof Bren's condition rather than _how_ she'd come to be this way, because he wanted to believe there was something he could do to help her rather than dwell on what would happen should she never get those memories back, and they remained strangers forever.

As if sensing his thoughts, Nala Se's head inclined and she gave him a look that he thought was meant to be kind, though it still retained a measure of Kaminoan distance. "She is your mate."

Had he been less tired and filled with stress, Rex would have winced at the clinical term. "Yeah," he managed with a deep breath, rubbing at his forehead with his left hand. "She is."

After a moment his hand dropped and Rex looked up; Nala Se was watching him, her swirling gray eyes were definitely filled with compassion, and it was so strange a sight on the Kaminoan that he nearly didn't believe it. Finally he nodded once and rose, thinking to go to the helm and be in the company of others because he didn't want to be alone. He pointed out where the food was kept, in case Nala Se was hungry, then made to step out the door.

When he reached the threshold, her voice froze him in place. "I am sorry."

"Thank you," he replied, then slipped out.

* * *

_Thank you so much for reading, and if you've left a review that I was remiss in replying to, extra special thank you. _

_Life is still hectic right now, so I'm playing catch-up on reading, reviewing, and replying to reviews, but i__n the words of my favorite bending robot, "I'm back, baby!" :P_

_Next time: Coming home to Alderaan. _


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty**

When Brenna stepped out of the _Shereshoy_, she was hit with a blast of wind so intense it nearly knocked her off of her feet. However, her first thought was that the moment she ignored the cold and took in the vast array of rolling pastures, domed by endless blue sky and ruffled by the wind, she felt a little better.

But it was not because she _remembered_ this place.

It was because it was beautiful.

Autumn on Alderaan was sharp and clear, from the gusting wind to the smell of a distant fire. Her second thought was that she was glad she'd made it here.

They'd landed the ship in a wide yard beside a large, wooden house with three stories and a brick chimney along one side. Beyond it, she could make out an array of buildings that she'd been told were other parts of the ranch – stables and such – and while she couldn't call up specific memories of any of these locations, she thought that the entire place resonated within her mind, at least a little bit. Or, at least, she wanted it to.

A group of people were clustered before the house, shielding their eyes from the swell of dust kicked up by the _Shereshoy_'s repulsors. As Brenna descended the loading-ramp, Iri in her arms and Rex at her side, she could make out two women, one short, one tall, a small boy and five dark-haired men. One of these men was paler of skin, with a dusting of dark brown hair on his chin, with facial features similar to her own: this must be Caith, her brother. The other men were nearly identical, save for variations in clothing and hairstyles – and one of them had a rather large tattoo on his face – and she took them to be clones like Rex and Fives.

Of the women, the taller of the two had a shock of short, coppery hair and carried herself in quite a regal manner even as her face held all sorts of apprehension. The small, brown-haired boy clung to her hand while the other gripped one of Caith's hands, so Brenna took this to be her brother's wife, her sister-in-law, Edme. Although the others had told her during their voyage here, she couldn't recall her nephew's name.

So that would make the shorter blonde woman Brenna's mother, Jensine. Her skin was tan and a bit weathered, as if she'd spent most of her life outside. As Brenna walked towards the group, Jensine's blue eyes were fixed on her and and the little girl in her arms, and it bothered Brenna that she could not discern any emotion in her mother's face.

The sun was bright overhead but it didn't provide much warmth this day. Another, less insistent gust of wind snickered through Bren's coat and she shivered, hugging Iri closer to her as she stepped across the hard-packed dirt. Behind her, she could make out the tread of Fives and Marliss – and Nala Se, whom she had not spoken to since that morning at breakfast – but it was the man beside her whose presence was the most reassuring.

Rex walked calmly and without hurry. He'd matched his pace to hers, offering silent support in his own way, and although a part of her was wary of doing so to a man she didn't _know_, she reached out her free hand and took his; it was only a brief clasp, but the warm press of his skin offered her a measure of comfort and strength, and she exhaled in relief. Once her hand lifted from his, he shot her a startled glance, but they did not have time to say anything to one another, for they'd come upon the other group.

For a moment the two groups met in silence, as if allowing Brenna a measure of space to get her bearings. As much as she didn't want to expect anything of herself, because it would hurt more when she was disappointed, Brenna couldn't help but study each face and try to recall something of the person behind it, something from her past. Like it had been on the _Shereshoy, _there was nothing, and she tried to fight back her disappointment. Perhaps her brother caught on to her thoughts, for Caith gave her a forced smile and extended his hands to her free one.

"Hey, sis," he said in a quiet voice, his larger hands covering hers. "Welcome home."

"Thanks," she replied, nodding once as she searched his face for familiarity.

Finding none, she slid her gaze to those who waited behind him; the clones shifted in place, their eyes darting from her to the Kaminoan behind her, and Brenna wondered at the fact that they seemed uneasy. By contrast, Edme and Jensine had only glanced at Nala Se, and their eyes were fixed on Brenna. The boy ignored her and stared at the Kaminoan as well, his mouth hanging open a little in wonder.

In Brenna's arms, Iri began to squirm; Rex had dressed her in a few layers of warm, knitted clothing, and she was clearly restless, though she seemed pleased to be with the rest of her family again. "Unc' Caith," the toddler announced in a bright voice. "Iri fly ship!"

Caith smiled at the little girl, but his eyes remained fixed on his sister. "Are you hungry? We've got enough food to feed an army."

She wasn't, not really, but she thought that it was perhaps a good way to chip at the wall that had formed in her mind, the one that was between her consciousness and her memories of these people, so she nodded again. "Sounds good."

"Mom," the little boy said in a not-quite-whisper as he tugged at the hand of the red-haired woman. "What's that?"

He was pointing at Nala Se, whose head was lifted even higher as she seemed to take in the scenery around her; Brenna recalled hearing that the Kaminoan's homeworld was oceanic and stormy, and she wondered what Nala Se thought of Alderaan. The boy's words seemed to snap her family's attention back to the Kaminoan – Edme quietly hushed him but it was Jensine who spoke to the group.

"The boys and I cleared out one of the sheds behind the barn," she said, thumbing in the direction of the building. "It's heated and insulated, if you want to sleep there. Should be enough room for you to...set up."

There was a question in her voice, but she didn't voice it. However, the Kaminoan seemed to understand, for she stepped forward and dipped her head in a graceful bow. "I thank you for your hospitality." Nala Se's voice was lilting and refined, with only a trace of weariness. "I shall continue my work at once."

At this, Fives cleared his throat. "We'll help you get settled in," he said, glancing at the other clones, all of whom had been watching the exchange. "Right?"

The others nodded. Beside her, Brenna felt Rex tense a bit, and she wondered if he'd want to go with the other clones. Suddenly, she wanted very much for him to stay with her; his presence was a comfort, solid and steadfast, so she glanced his way and tried to think of how to vocalize her thoughts without sounding like an idiot.

But he seemed to know, and something warm and hopeful lit in his eyes when he looked at her. "I'm hungry as well," he said to the others. "I might sit out, just for a bit."

"Sure, _vod_," one of the clones – the one with the significant tattoo on his face – said, his eyes darting to Brenna and Iri. "We'll take care of it."

"Don't worry about a thing," Fives added, stepping forward to place a hand on Rex's shoulder. "Go get some grub."

She watched Rex's face relax a bit more as he exhaled and nodded, and soon enough the group had divided up as the clones – save Rex – escorted Nala Se towards the barn, while Brenna followed the others to the main house.

There was a gravel path that lead from the field where the _Shereshoy_ had landed, and her shoes crunched along as she walked; around her, the wind fluttered the coats and scarves of the others, and the sky was a bright, luminous blue. Caith and Edme led their son and walked at the front, with Jensine several meters to one side, her gaze fixed on the distant mountains. Marliss and Rex were on both of Brenna's sides, and she took comfort in their proximity. It made her feel less alone.

And of course, there was Iri.

Brenna's daughter was obviously delighted to be back home, and as they walked, the toddler began chattering away, avidly describing her room and all the toys she'd missed, which made Brenna smile despite herself. Rex seemed amused as well, for he cast the little girl a glance and indicated the house that they were approaching when there was a pause in her speech.

"Are you hungry, _Iri'ka_? Maybe you and Tavi can watch a holo while you eat lunch." Though he was speaking to Iri, the words were clearly directed at Caith and Edme, both of whom nodded and bent to ask their son the same thing; his response was an enthusiastic _yes, _which made the adults chuckle. Iri beamed and looked inordinately pleased at the prospect of holo-time. Brenna wanted to be happy for her, but she suspected that Rex's reasons for wanting the children out of the way had more to do with keeping Iri unaware of Bren's condition than his desire to sit the toddler before a screen.

This thought made Brenna's stomach twist into a knot, and as she walked, she glanced around again and tried to _remember_.

They reached the house within a few moments, and the moment she stepped out of the sun and crossed beneath the sheltering awning of the broad porch, Brenna felt a chill sweep across her. It was a fleeting feeling, because once she entered the house she was enveloped by a sensation of warmth and she gave a sigh of relief to be out of the omnipresent wind.

The house was well-kept and cared for, albeit filled with clutter. They'd entered through the kitchen, where – as Caith had said – an array of food was simmering on the stove and warming in the oven; an inhale brought the scent of roasting vegetables and some kind of meaty smell that made Brenna's mouth water and her stomach let out a growl, reminding her that she hadn't eaten much in the last day or so. Before that...well, she didn't know and tried not to think about it.

Brightly-lit, the kitchen was open and spacious, and there was a long, wooden table off to one side, in an area that probably served as a dining room. As she carried Iri towards it, she glanced around the space, searching for something familiar. Everything was faint, like a dream she couldn't quite remember, but she realized that she felt comfortable, here. Being warm and out of the biting wind helped.

"Take a seat," Edme said, directing her and Rex towards the table. "I can get the kids fed."

At this, Brenna found that she was unwilling to relinquish her hold on her daughter, for Iri's presence was one of the few things she trusted, but the toddler began to squirm, demanding to go watch holos with her cousin, so Brenna acquiesced. While Caith and Edme busied themselves with collecting plates and bringing out food, Brenna, Marliss and Rex took seats at the table, and Brenna watched as Edme set Irini down in the adjacent living area, where Tavi – Brenna remembered, now that Rex had mentioned his name – had rushed ahead to pick out a holo.

"That smells so good," Marliss said, twisting around in her seat to glance towards the kitchen. "Thanks for everything, guys."

The words were directed at Brenna's mother and brother, but it was Jensine who replied. "I'm not the biggest fan of roasted gorak," she said, approaching the table with a steaming dish. "But, seeing as it's Brenna's favorite, I thought it would be appropriate."

At the mention of her "favorite," Brenna studied the dish that was placed before her; objectively, it didn't seem all that appealing: the meat seemed oily and discolored, and she eyed the accompanying vegetable garnish with a wary eye, but said nothing, only offered her mother a polite smile. Soon, there was an assortment of food laid out before the family, with Edme bringing portions to the kids in the next room before returning to her seat.

Save for some idle conversation no one spoke much, and although the others did an admirable job of hiding the fact, Brenna caught more than a few curious glances her way, as if each of her movements was being assessed and studied. Self-conscious, Brenna found herself staring down at her plate and trying _not _to see them as they watched her. She figured that no one meant to make her uncomfortable, but nevertheless...

She could even feel Rex's attention upon her, for all that he seemed content to eat in silence, and she was not not sure what to make of the fact.

Anyway, she decided to concentrate on her meal and try to move past the feeling. For the most part, it seemed to be good, hearty food, but as she tasted a piece of the lauded roasted gorak, Brenna couldn't suppress a grimace. Had this really been her favorite meal? The meat was greasy and bitter, and she had no wish to finish it, but she didn't want to seem ungrateful, so she forced herself to swallow the bite and reach for another.

As she did so, Jensine spoke up, drawing everyone's eyes to her. "You don't like it."

Naturally, Brenna felt the others turn her way, and her cheeks grew warm even as she straightened in her seat. "No, it's-"

But Jensine shook her head. "You used to like it. You used to eat it by the wagon-load."

"Mom," Caith said, glancing at the blonde woman. "Let it go. There are more important things to focus on than Bren's food choices."

"But you can't just _forget_ that you used to like something like that," Jensine replied with a shake of her head, her pale eyes tightening as she glanced down at her plate. "Memories may be fuzzy, but tastes only change with time."

"My memories aren't fuzzy," Brenna heard herself saying as she set her fork down with a _clink. _"They're gone. And...thank you for making the gorak for me, but I don't care for it." She paused, then glanced at Rex, who was watching her with an expression that she wished she could read. "Pass me the stew, please? I liked that."

As he did so, she watched Jensine scowl, though the older woman said nothing further as she appeared to be biting back further speech. Within, Brenna bit back her annoyance with her mother. She wished her memories were only _fuzzy _and not gone; based on Jensine's expression and the tone of her voice, Brenna thought that her mother was annoyed as well, only with her and her predicament.

_Well_, she thought with a scowl of her own. _I didn't ask for this. I didn't ask to be drugged and taken away from my family. _If Jensine didn't like the way that her daughter was now, then Brenna thought she'd be more than happy to leave this place and never return.

But beyond that feeling, which she acknowledged as being childish, was a prick of a deeper fear, one that she had made a great effort not to focus on too much in the last few days: how much of herself was really _there_, if even simple food preferences had been wiped away? How much of what – of who – was _Brenna_ remained in this mind of hers, now that her memories were gone?

Though it had happened against her will, Brenna's own mind had betrayed her and she felt very small and very alone, even surrounded by warmth and family as she was. She looked down at her plate and realized that her appetite had fled.

There was a beat of silence, then Marliss cleared her throat and glanced Brenna's way as she selected a piece of flatbread. When she spoke, her tone was casual but quite deliberate. "What do you remember, exactly?"

Brenna felt Rex go tense beside her, and out of the corner of her eye she caught him giving Marliss a warning look.

It was a simple question. Brenna was aware that Rex, Fives and Marliss – until now – had tried to give her space to collect herself and fall back into some sort of normalcy, but she also knew that eventually she had to try and recall exactly what had happened, for many reasons, not the least of which being that there might be a way to reverse or counteract whatever Arcas and Zoea had done to her.

The thought of Arcas made a kind of instinctive fear tightened her throat, and at first she skimmed her fork across her plate as she tried to ignore the feeling and the way that the others were watching her every movement.

Finally, she glanced up and met Marliss' eyes. "It's...difficult," she began. "I don't know exactly what happened, how I got to wherever I was brought, but I remember that I was drugged. With something called hycosine," she added, thinking of the dark, empty cabin where she'd woken up. A shiver crossed her skin.

"Hycosine," Edme mused, her head tilting in thought. "I've never heard of it, but I'm no doctor."

Caith nodded. "Me either, but Tai might know." At Brenna's look of confusion, he exhaled, the resulting sound edged with sorrow. "Doctor Tai Bores, in Belleau-a-Lir. She's been treating us for many years. She's Iri's physician."

"You should pay her a visit, Bren," Jensine added. "I don't want to think about what they might have done to you..."

She trailed off and took a deep breath, blinking hard and looking down at her plate while her features drew very tight. At the words, Rex also grew very still, and Brenna could see a muscle in his jaw tense as if he was fighting back an outpouring of fury; Caith, Edme, even Marliss...they all seemed to be working so hard to keep calm, and suddenly Brenna wanted to do something strange and violent, just to get them to visibly react. It was wrong, sitting quietly like she was a stranger among these people, but it was what she was to them, now. A stranger.

"Seeing a doctor's probably a good idea," Brenna said after a beat, if only to break the silence that had descended over the room. She toyed with a piece of roasted gorak and frowned in thought, then looked up at Caith. "Do you know the name 'Arcas?'"

Caith's lips parted in surprise even as she watched color rise to his cheeks and his eyes turned hard. At the name, Edme's face paled and Jensine's head lifted. Rex was silent. "Yeah," Caith managed, seeming to swallow some heavy emotion as he regarded her. "I know the name. Was he the one who...drugged you?"

Brenna nodded. "He and an Iridonian woman...Zoea. There were others, too, but I didn't see them as much." She watched as Caith and Jensine exchanged a dark look, and she sat up in her seat. "You know him."

"I never met him," Caith replied as his eyes tightened. "But I knew enough of him to know that he was trouble." He glanced down at his food, took a deep breath, then looked up and met Brenna's eyes again even as Edme placed a hand on his arm. "You met him when you were eighteen, at university."

"After you left here," Jensine added. She'd dropped all semblance of trying to eat her dinner and was leaned back in her chair, arms crossed before her chest.

Brenna felt a flare of irritation from her mother's words but pushed it back as Caith nodded and continued. "You...fell for him, I guess, but he wasn't..." Her brother sighed and suddenly looked very tired. "He wasn't a good man. You never quite shared the whole story, but he used you, I think. Badly. And one day he left and you showed up at our house, crying."

"He was a bit older," Edme said in a quiet voice, still holding her husband's arm. "And from what you told us about him, I could tell he wasn't the kindest man, though that doesn't always seem apparent when one is as young as you were."

Rex was so still, Brenna wondered if he was even breathing. A subtle glance his way showed her that his entire body was tense, and she could see anger in his eyes even though he wasn't looking at anyone in the room. More out of a desire to reassure him than anything else, she spoke. "I don't know about all of that, but it doesn't matter anymore. He's dead." She paused and watched as they all turned to stare at her. "I killed him, right before I was rescued."

Silence.

No one, not even Rex, met her eyes after that statement, and she felt another thrill of disappointment at their lack of reaction. But what else was she expecting? She was different, she was broken, and she didn't know if she'd ever be the same again. She didn't know if her family could ever be repaired from this kind of damage. She didn't think she could.

Arcas was dead, but the thought held no consolation for her, surrounded by the broken bits of her life as she was. So after a minute of silence she picked up her plate and slid her chair away as she stood up, watching as the others tracked her movements. It was so strange, to be studied in this way, as if she were a bomb that would explode at any moment, and she realized that despite the relative early hour, she was tired. Even if it brought nightmares, sleep would be a welcome change from this strange stillness among those who supposedly loved her the most.

"I can take that for you," Caith said suddenly, rising up from his chair and nodding to her plate.

"No, I've got it," she replied, making her way to the kitchen and trying not to make her search for the trash-compactor too visible.

She could feel their eyes on her as she threw away the remnants of her dinner, rinsed off the dish and silverware and set them in the sanitizer; when she'd finished, she glanced through the room towards the living area, where Iri and Tav were engrossed with their holo. It was too early even for the toddler to be put to to bed, but Brenna was exhausted.

So she looked at Rex. "I think I'll just go to sleep."

"I'll put Iri to bed," he replied, sitting up and giving her a look that she might have known how to read, once.

Caith cleared his throat. "Do you want me to-"

"But first I'd like to see where Iri sleeps," Brenna continued as if Caith hadn't spoken. "If that's okay."

Before her brother could reply, Edme stood up, her chair making no noise as it slid back from the table. "I'll show you."

After bidding the others goodnight – Marliss giving her a tight, concerned smile and Rex nodding once while Jensine hardly seemed to acknowledge her and Caith patted her shoulder – Brenna followed Edme as she slipped out of the dining area and towards the rear of the house. They paused at the living area, where Iri and Tav were delighting in a childrens' holo, so much so that Brenna's daughter merely offered a distracted "'night, Mama" before looking back at the screen.

The kids were sitting on a thick, canvas mat, and were surrounded by all manner of food, remnants from their dinner. As she followed Edme towards a set of stairs that lead upwards, Brenna glanced back at her daughter; Iri's face was smudged with sauce and her fingers were sticky. "She needs a bath..."

Brenna's words trailed off because that was _her _job as the little girl's mother, but then she thought of Rex. From what she'd seen of him so far, she thought that he'd see to it that her daughter was clean before setting Iri down for the night. As much as she wanted to take care of Iri herself, she also wanted to trust that Rex would do so._ Trust isn't a gift_, she told herself. _It has to be earned._ Had he earned it?

He'd kept Iri safe when she could not. That alone made her think that he should have earned her trust by now. She wanted to trust him, but it was difficult, especially when he treated her like a stranger.

In any case, she wasn't entirely sure of herself around Irini, because while it was good that her daughter made her comfortable, the last thing that Brenna wanted was for Iri to be made uncomfortable _by her._

"That mat was worth every credit," Edme replied, ascending the steps with a purposeful, efficient stride. A few of the stairs creaked as they went, but not many. "They're both so messy...I think Tav does it just to out-do his cousin."

They reached the top of the wooden stairs and Edme activated a lamp that illuminated a long hallway. The walls were covered with pictures, stills and holos, and Brenna could see another set of stairs to her right, leading to the third floor. Several moments later, they were standing at an open doorway that led to the kids' room: it was softly lit and clean, with a scattering of toys and holo-books on shelves affixed to the walls. There were two beds, a small one that Brenna took to be Tavi's, and one that looked as if it could be converted from a crib to a "normal" bed, though it was also kid-sized.

She didn't fully enter the room, only remained just inside the threshold and looked. Here was where her daughter slept, here was where she dreamed. Here was where she was safe. _Not with me, _Brenna thought, hugging her arms to her chest_. _

Without her memories of her daughter, Brenna didn't think she could be much of a mother.

"I can't imagine what you're going through," Edme said after a moment, drawing Brenna out of her reverie. A glance showed Brenna that the other woman was leaning against the door-frame, arms crossed before her torso and her gaze thoughtful. "I don't know what I would do if I lost all of my memories of my son."

A shiver passed over Brenna as she studied the bed where her daughter slept. Dusk was creeping across the sky outside, tinting the room with a warm, rosy glow, and there was a shaft of setting sunlight on Iri's pillow. "What if I never remember any of it?" she asked in a quiet voice that didn't sound like her own, if she'd even know it any more. "Being pregnant, giving birth to her, her first steps...all of those memories are gone."

There was a beat, then she felt Edme's hand slip across her shoulder; the touch was unexpected but welcome, and Brenna felt something small and hard begin to relax inside of her. "Then you have to make new ones. You love your daughter, she loves you. That's all that matters."

"I want to believe that's true," Brenna replied.

"But you don't."

Brenna shook her head, because it couldn't be that simple. "I don't know what I believe any more."

As she spoke, Brenna heard the excited laughter of her daughter and nephew downstairs, underwritten by Rex's deep baritone as he spoke to the children. He was there, with Iri, and she thought that he'd keep her daughter safe even when she could not. When she exhaled, she felt her body relax a little bit more.

"Some bonds are too strong to be broken," Edme said at last, squeezing Brenna's shoulder as they turned away from the kids' room and made their way towards the second set of stairs, where Brenna presumed her own room was located. "Believe that."

* * *

_Believe it or not, we're nearly through the worst of the angst. Brace yourselves..._

_Thank you for reading!_

_Next time: Getting Nala Se settled in._


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty-One**

Even when he was not looking directly at either of them, Rex's attention was on Brenna and Iri, at all times. While he ate his dinner and listened to the conversation of the other adults, a part of his mind was on his daughter in the next room, while another part of his mind was fixed on the woman beside him.

Patience. Time.

Why was it so hard to allow these things to take the forefront, when the urge to take her in his arms was overwhelming? It was worse when she finally began to speak of her time with that piece of rank-weed, Arcas, of whom he'd heard about from Brenna in the earlier days of their relationship. He'd never thought much of the fellow beyond anger at the way that Bren had been treated, even though it had led her, in part, to the place where she'd met him.

Now, Rex felt a stab of white-hot fury at the idea that this _chakaar_ had hurt her in any way. Even though he'd tried not to think of such things, as they would lead him to a dark and dangerous place, he'd understood that she might have been brutalized at the hands of her kidnappers, and wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not that she didn't remember.

Getting Bren to a doctor was necessary, the sooner the better.

"...he's dead." Brenna's voice was very quiet and serious, and didn't sound like the woman he knew. "I killed him, right before I was rescued."

Rex's first thought was: _Good. He deserved it. _Then he remembered the way that she'd hardly been able to tolerate the sound of blaster fire when he'd met her. Now she'd taken a life. In self-defense, perhaps, but still.

The Bren he remembered would not have been able to do such at thing, and he didn't know what to think about the fact that the Brenna sitting next to him had managed.

But before he could think much past this, she got up from her seat and took her dish to the kitchen with steps that were uncertain, and he was again struck with the urge to embrace her, for all that he shoved it aside. _Patience_.

As he watched her move like a stranger through her own house, he felt his resolve strengthen. Shortened lifespan or not, he would be patient, he would wait as long as was necessary and give her all the time that she needed to heal. And in the meantime, he'd continue to show her with each action, that he was _hers, _that he loved her daughter, and that they were a family.

When she met his eyes and mentioned that she was going to bed, he took the opportunity and sat up, giving her a look that was meant to reassure. "I'll put Iri to bed," he offered.

She made no sign that his words had comforted her, and his heart sank a little bit but he refused to let grief consume him. Instead, he watched as Bren and Edme slipped out of the room a few moments later. Once they'd gone upstairs, Rex, Caith, Jensine and Marliss sat in silence for a the space of a breath before Jensine's fork clattered to her plate. "I'm going to bed as well," she said, rising from her chair. "I've had enough of this."

No one asked what she meant.

The older woman left the dining room without another word, leaving Rex, Marliss and Caith, none of whom spoke for several minutes. Finally, Marliss glanced up, looking between the men. "I think I might go check on Fives and the others," she said. "I'm curious about how they're going to feel having a Kaminoan around."

It was something of a plan for the immediate future, which gave Rex a measure of comfort as he straightened in his chair. "Good idea. I'll put Iri to bed, and join you in a few minutes."

Caith accompanied him to the living room, where they collected the kids. Irini had apparently decided to wear just as much of her dinner as she'd eaten, so Rex gave her a bath, then set her down in her bed, in the room where the children slept. Caith and Edme brought Tavi in as well; Edme offered to read a story to the kids so that Rex and Caith could to slip out of the house and join the other clones.

As he followed Caith out the door, Rex was stopped by Edme calling his name. He turned and looked at her, noting the pensive look on the slender woman's face as she approached him.

"Give her time," she murmured as the children chattered to one another in the background. "It will get better."

Even though they echoed his own thoughts, Rex found it difficult to take heart at Edme's words, so he only nodded once. "I hope so."

Caith said nothing to him as they made their way through the darkened hallway and down the stairs, but that was okay, as Rex didn't feel much like talking. When they slipped outside, the air was sharp with cold and the moon was only just beginning to rise, a sliver of white against the indigo sky. Zephyr Mountain stood dark against the backdrop of the stars that had started to appear, and in the distance Rex could make out the glow of the building where his brothers had set up Nala Se's lab.

Save for the crunch of their boots against the gravel, he and Brenna's brother crossed the yard in silence, until they were about three meters from the makeshift lab, which was when Caith halted. "What happened to Bren," he began, his voice tight and his eyes on the stars. "Rex...I know it wasn't your fault. But I can't-"

He exhaled and looked at at the former captain, who'd gone still at the tone of the other man's voice. "I do blame you," Caith admitted after a moment. "Not completely, especially when I heard Arcas' name, but enough, I guess. Logically, I know that you must have done everything you could to keep her safe, and I'm so thankful that my niece is okay, but Rex...my sister is _gone_. She's not _her, _anymore."

Aside from the pieces of _her _that were gone, Brenna had killed someone. In self-defense, but still...she'd never taken a life before, and Rex knew all-too-well that such a thing would change a person forever. He fought back a swell of fear that Caith was right, because he didn't want to – he _couldn't_ – think such a thing was true. "Yes, she's changed," he said at last, willing himself to believe his next words. "But she's still _Bren."_

Caith shook his head. "I hope you're right. I just can't help feeling like you could have done...something to prevent what happened to her."

Rex felt his hands tighten at his sides; they felt odd and numb, and not like his own. In the background, inside the nearby building, he could hear the voices of his brothers interspersed with Nala Se's lilting tone. "I feel the same way," he replied, watching as Caith seemed to struggle to meet his eyes. "But I'm trying to make it right."

"You didn't have to go rescue the Kaminoan," Caith said at once; now he looked at Rex fully, and his eyes were hard. "You could have called the authorities – if not on Loronar, than here. You could have gone for her yourself. You could have done any number of things...but you didn't. You let her go and went for Nala Se. I'm sorry," he added, shaking his head and glancing down at his shoes. "I know you have your reasons for doing what you did, Rex, but right now...this is where I am. My little sister is hurting and there's nothing I can do about it."

"Yes, I failed Bren," Rex replied as a gust of wind swept over him and sent chills down his back. It hurt to say the words, but he refused to turn away from the understanding. "Yes, I could have gone after her. But there was one factor that I had to consider above all others: my daughter."

There was silence as Caith studied him. Back on the _Shereshoy_, Rex's comm-call to Caith had been so quick and happened so late at night, he figured he owed the man more of an explanation, so Rex considered his next words, then took a breath."Had I dropped everything and gone after Brenna – as I wanted to, at first – it would have meant putting Irini at risk, and I wasn't willing to do that."

Caith listened as Rex recounted his run-in with the security guard on Loronar in great detail. When he'd finished, the bearded man said nothing for a few moments, then gave a deep exhale and ran a hand across his face. "I remember you telling me that, but I guess I didn't realize how difficult it was for you."

"If I'd been arrested, I wouldn't have been able to take care of my daughter," Rex added. "_Our_ daughter. Iri was my priority, and by the time she was safe, I had another option open to me."_ A better option_, he thought, remembering how quickly Ahsoka had tracked down Bren. "But still," he said, taking another breath. "I regret that it even had to come to that."

They stood in silence for a while longer, not taking the last few steps that would bring them building before them. Finally Caith looked at him again and spoke. "You're a good guy, Rex. I'm not doubting that. I just..." He frowned. "I hate feeling helpless."

"Me too."

Caith nodded, then indicated the building, where they could hear Fives and Jesse speaking. The two men walked forward, but just as they reached the door, Caith paused and shot Rex a curious look. "Before, when you comm'd me about Bren, you called me 'vod.' What does it mean?"

It hadn't occurred to Rex that Caith might not have understood the word, especially when Brenna had taken pains to learn Mando'a before they'd left for Loronar. But it made sense, he supposed. Not everyone could be expected to try and learn the language. "_Vod,_" he said, correcting Caith's accent. "It means 'brother' in Mando'a."

"_Vod_." Caith's voice was quiet as he repeated the word, then – right before they stepped inside – he clasped Rex's shoulder, once, briefly. "Brother."

* * *

Within the building, everything seemed to be barely-controlled chaos.

It wasn't a large space, but it was clean and brightly lit; Rex could see that his brothers had cordoned off the area at one end of the room with a makeshift curtain, which he supposed was where the Kaminoan would sleep. The rest of the space was taken up with tables, stacks of shelves and the equipment they'd salvaged from Nala Se's former lab, the bulk of which was in the process of being arranged by Kix and Coric, while Chopper, Jesse, Marliss and Fives remained at the edge of the room, offering assistance where they could but mostly giving the impression that they were trying not to break anything.

Nala Se stood in the center of it all, offering direction. In a way, it was strange for Rex to see a Kaminoan ordering a group of clones around again, but in another, it was all-too familiar, and even though he thought that Nala Se seemed like one of the more decent ones, he had to repress a faint thrill of irritation. He thought that Chopper and Jesse seemed to feel the same way, for the scarred clone's eyes did not leave the Kaminoan and Jesse had edged his back into a wall, keeping his entire body tense.

By contrast, Kix and Coric were speaking to the Kaminoan while they set up one of the machines that Rex and Fives had brought back. "You're certain?" Kix was saying to her as he twiddled with the knobs on the bulky thing they'd set on top of a table. "You really think our aging can be normalized with the alteration of a few sequences?"

"Well, it certainly seems feasible," Coric said as he arranged a line of power-cords. "The tricky part will be _how _such a thing can be physically distributed among us. If there is a cure, is it the kind of thing that can be put into a hypo?"

"That is my hope," Nala Se replied. "I have no illusions that it will be difficult to create a serum that counter-acts what has been embedded into your genes, but I do not think it will be impossible. You were created to be adaptable, after all."

There was a gentleness to her tone that Rex had come to recognize as being habitual for her, but there was also affection in the words. As she watched his brothers, she seemed...happy in a way that he'd not seen before, and he wondered if it was connected to the part of her past that she'd not shared with him when they'd spoken on the _Shereshoy._

Coric glanced up, met Rex's eyes and nodded once; there was a gleam in his gaze that was nothing short of excited, but otherwise he and Kix were pretty well absorbed with their task and did not seem inclined to chat. So Rex and Caith approached the three clones and Marliss, all of whom seemed to be doing their best to stay out of the way. Since it was even more crowded, everyone decided to vacate the room and go outside, and moments later the group was speaking quietly amongst themselves as they stood outside the door.

"I can't make heads or tales of all that sciency chatter," Fives said, thumbing towards the interior of the lab, where they could all see the former medics and the Kaminoan diligently working to set up her equipment. "But it sounds like she knows what she's doing."

"I hope so," Rex replied with an exhale, tasting the chilled night air. "If this doesn't work, I'm not sure what other options we'd have."

Marliss put a hand on Fives' arm and gave a squeeze, causing the former ARC to regard her with tenderness. "No matter what, you're stuck with me, ARC-boy."

The tenderness in Fives' gaze sharpened to adoration even as he gave a broad grin and leaned in to kiss her cheek. "Glad to hear it."

While Rex was happy for them both, it pained him to see the other couple's affectionate interplay, because it only made what he'd lost that much more tangible. He looked away, as much to give them privacy as well as to lessen his own sorrow.

As he did, Jesse cleared his throat and gave Rex a deliberate look, as if he were also purposefully ignoring the couple. "Before I forget to tell you, we spotted that mountain anooba you were hunting down before you left for Loronar. I think he missed you, Rex. Kriffing thing snuck into the villie pasture and killed three of them before we were able to get rid of it."

"You killed it?" Rex asked, glancing around the nearby pastures.

Jesse paused, then glanced at Caith, who grimaced. "I got a few shots in," Caith said with a sigh. "But I'm afraid my aim isn't that great, and your brothers didn't make it in time, so he's still on the loose."

The tattooed clone clapped Caith's shoulder. "Eh, you tried. Weren't bad for a civvie, but yeah...damn anooba got away. Again."

This gave Rex an idea, so he glanced at Brenna's brother. "We can give you a few lessons, if you like. A little target practice never hurt anyone."

Of course, the moment the words left his mouth he thought of Brenna learning to shoot – at _his _insistence – back on the _Resolute, _and he felt a flash of chagrin that he'd even mentioned doing something similar with her family, especially after she'd used those skills to take a life. While he knew that it was probably because of his teaching that she'd been able to get away, a part of him felt guilty for even exposing her to such things in the first place.

If any of this had occurred to Caith, the other man didn't acknowledge it. Rather, he looked thoughtful and gave a slow nod. "That would be good, actually. I'm really out of practice, I have to admit. Mom and Ed might want to as well. There's not normally a need for firearms out here, but obviously that's changed recently."

They discussed the anooba for a few more minutes, until the door to the lab opened and Kix and Coric stepped out into the cool air. "We've done about all we can do," Kix said as the medics came to stand with the others. "She says she can still use our help a little bit, but it's mostly up to her, now."

"Does she need anything else?" Rex asked.

Coric and Kix exchanged looks, then answered almost in unison: "Time."

Unexpectedly, Chopper – who'd been silent up until now – gave a rather dark sort of chuckle. "Don't we all?"

After that, it was time to part, but Rex didn't feel like returning to the house just yet, and it wasn't just because he didn't know where he was going to sleep – the couch in the living room, he supposed – but also because he wanted to speak with the medics. So he bid goodnight to Fives, Marliss and Caith, who were returning to the main house, and walked with his brothers towards the stables. As they climbed the steps to the clones' quarters, he got the sense that he was being observed very closely.

When the five men entered the common area of their quarters, Jesse indicated that they should all take a seat at the table in the kitchen while he went to the conservator; moments later, the tattooed clone was setting a cold bottle of ale in front of each man, and for some time they sat in relative quiet, speaking of mundane things.

"We've set up more of the energy fences along the far pasture," Coric said as he sipped his ale. "It's slow-going, converting everything over, but at least it's happening."

Jesse took a swig of his own drink and indicated the scarred clone. "Chopper and I figured out the issue with the wind-pump, so now it's operating at peak-efficiency. We're thinking of installing some solar-panels as well, though I'm not sure how Mrs. Damaris will take to them."

"She can be a bit...stubborn," Kix added thoughtfully. "But we can convince her, I think."

"See, Captain?" Jesse said, giving an informal salute with his bottle of ale. "We held down the fort for you."

Rex managed a chuckle, pleased to hear that his brothers had made such progress on the ranch in his absence, but his happiness went farther than that. While he wasn't much of a drinker, there was definitely something comforting about sitting here, surrounded by brothers; he was heartened by the notion that his _vode _were there, looking out for him in their own way.

So he took a swig from his bottle, relishing the bite of the drink that smoothed into a rich, familiar flavor almost at once, then glanced between them. "Thanks. I knew I could count on you."

There was a moment of quiet as they exchanged nervous glances, then Coric spoke up. "We heard a little of it, but Rex...what happened to Brenna?"

Force, he didn't want to keep reliving all of this, but Rex knew that he needed to explain, so he did. When he'd finished, the others gaped at him and he looked down at the table, adding: "I don't know what I'm going to do."

"Keep going." It was Chopper's voice, rough but filled with conviction, and the unexpected words hit Rex with force. "The only thing that can stop you from fighting is death, Captain. You're both alive; you have each other. Everything else doesn't really matter," he added, glancing down as the others' gazes fixed on him. "The only option is to keep going, no matter what, and make the best of what you have."

Having no immediate reply, Rex chose to keep silent.

"This hycosine," Coric said thoughtfully. "Were you able to look into it much?"

Rex blinked, still reeling a bit from the impact of Chopper's words, then shook his head. "Haven't had a chance. Bren's going into Belleau-a-Lir to see a doctor tomorrow; I was planning on asking her about it."

The medic nodded, then rose and slipped out of the room, returning a few minutes later with a small, glass vial and what looked suspiciously like a hypo-spray. He approached Rex, brandishing both instruments in the manner of a medic who was going to do something unpleasant. "Hold still," he said, setting the hypo against the exposed skin of Rex's neck.

He was fast. Before Rex had even fully formed an objection to the act, Kix activated the hypo, which turned out not to be a hypo at all, but something that extracted a small amount of blood with only a quick jab of pain, and soon the little vial was full.

"Brenna gave this to me so I could collect a sample of your blood," the medic said as he sealed the vial and removed the needle from the hypo so that it could be disposed. "Sorry, I only just remembered. Here, give this to the doctor, and she may be able to tell you more about any potential complications that our genetics might give Irini."

Resisting the urge to rub at his neck, Rex took the vial and studied it as he replied. "Nala Se indicated that Irini wouldn't suffer any adverse affects from our genes, but it'll be good to have a second opinion."

"Hey, if there's one person's opinion to get on the subject of our genes," Jesse said with a chuckle. "It's probably a Kaminoan's."

Rex had to agree. They sat in relative quiet for a few more minutes, and he considered asking to spend the night here, then thought better of it. If something were to happen with Iri, he didn't want to be more than a few steps away, just in case. But for now it was good to be surrounded by brothers again.

As if reading his mind, Coric offered him a smile. "We never did get to say, 'welcome back.'" The former medic raised his ale and the others followed; the bottles connected with a series of _clinks _that heartened Rex a bit more. "We're glad to have you around again, Rex_."_

Sipping his drink, Rex studied the men he was closest to, his brothers, and something within him relaxed a little bit. "I'm glad to be home, _ner_ _vode_."

* * *

_I know we're _shebs_-deep in angst right now, but we won't be here forever. :) __It's always darkest before the dawn, right?_

___Thank you for sticking with me! :)_

_Next time: Pictures._


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

_Two weeks later..._

Brenna was long-since past comparing herself to a broken holo-record, so she only leaned back into the couch cushions and took a deep breath to try and stave off her unshakeable frustration. A moment later, she was able to look back at her mother, who was seated beside her. "I don't remember."

The words made Jensine frown down at the flimsi pic in her hand. "But you _know _how to ride...how can you _not_ remember learning how?"

On Brenna's other side, Caith pinched the bridge of his nose. "Mom...Dr. Bores said that it might be this way. Some things will come back to her; others might not. Our job is to try and help her remember what she can, and we have to be patient."

_Be patient. _The words had become something of a mantra these past weeks, as if their very repetition would fix whatever was broken inside of her. _Be patient, Brenna, _Dr. Bores had said, her large, dark eyes swirling with compassion as she scanned Brenna with a small, hand-held device. Every scan that she'd had to sit through had revealed the same thing: her body was fine. Her abductors had not sexually abused her and the hycosine had left no physical scars.

Only mental ones.

Dr. Bores' voice had been filled with the calm assurance that only a physician was capable of: _Brenna, you were put through a terrible ordeal, and your mind needs time to recover. _

Perhaps it was true; Brenna could remember waking up on Arcas' ship and feeling numb with grief and terror. It was not an unheard of thing for one's mind to protect itself by purposefully forgetting the traumas it endured, but surely she should be better by now? She was home, she was surrounded by family, even though they made her feel awkward and uncertain much of the time, especially when they spoke around her, as if she wasn't present.

Following the visit to the doctor, it had been decided that Brenna should try to get into a normal sort of routine in addition to these sessions with her mother and brother, so in addition to taking care of Iri, Brenna had been doing chores along with the others, repairing fences and tending to the quagga and vilpacas. At least her body remembered how to do these tasks even when her mind was failing her.

Frustration welled within her but she pushed it back, instead glancing at Caith, who had taken to flipping through a book of flimsi pics from their childhood. Her eyes fell on a large picture, in the center of one of the pages. "Who's that?"

It was an older pic, the edges starting to peel up from where they'd been held to the book with glue; a man, perhaps in his late twenties, sat atop a quagga and smiled into the camera. He wore a wide-brimmed hat that was similar to the one she'd seen her mother wearing, and in the background she could make out the mountains.

Caith inhaled sharply as if in pain, then seemed to push the feeling away as he gave his sister a smile that did not reach his eyes. "That's Dad."

Yes, she could see that now. He had Caith's nose and her chin, and if she looked at the pic long enough she remembered the smell of leather and quagga, the feeling of strong arms lifting her up and setting her on his shoulders, the deep sound of his laughter. Something inside of her wanted to curl up and cry, but she refused to succumb to the feeling. She knew the answer, but she asked anyway. "What happened to him?"

It was Jensine's turn to answer. "He died Brenna. Fifteen years ago...surely you didn't-"

She broke off and looked away, out the window across the living room, where Brenna could see the mountains and the gravel path that led to the barns behind the house, the place where Rex and the other clones were right now. If she listened very closely, she could hear Rex's voice and Iri's laughter; the sounds were comforting, and she tried to let them relax her.

"Mom." Caith's voice was too calm; he reached across Brenna's lap and put a hand on his mother's knee. "It's okay."

"No," Jensine said, shaking her head and getting to her feet. "It's not. Are we finished? I have to tend to the villies."

Her voice was sharp and the words were spoken in a rush, as if she couldn't wait to be done with all of this, and Brenna felt a thrill of anger that she knew – rationally – she should set aside. Her mother was hurting because her child was hurting; of course, Brenna understood such a thing. Iri had skinned her knee a few days ago and Brenna had wanted nothing more than to cry right along with her daughter, but she'd kept calm. She couldn't take Iri's pain away, only sympathize and try to comfort her child with kisses and a bacta patch.

Why couldn't her mother do the same thing, for her? Why did it seem that Jensine couldn't even spare a modicum of compassion for her daughter? Anger filled her, sudden and piercing as any blaster-bolt, and she felt her face grow warm with the emotion as she glared at her mother.

"And you say _I'm _the one who runs away from my problems," she said in a dark voice, the words coming to her unbidden. "I guess I come by it honestly."

Jensine had been replacing her jacket; at Brenna's words, she froze and stared down at her daughter, her pale blue eyes wide in such a way that sent a thrill of alarm through Brenna, almost making her forget her anger. Jensine's words were sharp. "What did you say?"

There was silence for a moment, and as she heard the distant sound of an approaching speeder, Brenna frowned. "You want me to repeat that?"

"No..." Jensine blinked, then looked at Caith and spoke to him as if Brenna wasn't there. "I know we didn't show her a list of all our old arguments. Do you think she remembers?"

"Dr. Bores said that a strong emotion could trigger a return of some of her memories," Caith mused, glancing at Brenna in the manner of one studying an abstract painting they didn't quite understand.

"Don't talk about me like I'm not in the room," Brenna replied, crossing her arms before her chest and giving her brother a glare. "It's rude, you know."

At this, Caith exhaled and shook his head, but there was hope in his eyes when he looked at her. "Sorry, Bren...it's just...why did you say that, about running away?"

After thinking about it for a moment, Brenna shrugged. "I don't know...the words just sort of came out." She watched as the hope trickled out of his face and felt a pang of remorse, because he _was _trying to help her, after all. "Maybe it's a good sign."

Caith looked hopeful. "Dr. Bores said that it seemed like most of your emotional memories were the ones that were...obscured. Maybe this means they're starting to return."

"Trust you to remember the fights," Jensine added with a heavy sigh, though she glanced at the front door, where they could all hear footsteps against the porch outside. Moments later, the door opened, revealing Marliss and Edme, bringing Edme and Caith's son, Tavi, and an assortment of packages. Seeing his wife and son, Caith rose and crossed the room to help them.

Maybe Brenna should have taken offense at her mother's words, but she found that she actually chuckled. "That would probably be my luck."

"What would be your luck?" Marliss asked, approaching Brenna and offering a smile. She was carrying several bags that looked to be filled with all manner of technological miscellany, and Brenna rose to help her, noting how Jensine slipped out on her own.

It had been another suggestion of Dr. Bores, one that Brenna found she was only too happy to comply with, for she had a feeling she'd been idle too long. Since she could remember how to perform most of the tasks for which she'd once gotten paid, she was anxious to start working again. There were plenty of freelance jobs for someone with her talents, and maybe finding some work would give her more routine, more time to figure out who she used to be.

Caith kissed Edme's cheek and hugged Tav, then set the bags on the now-vacant couch. "We had a little breakthrough," he said as he glanced at Brenna, who was rummaging through the largest bag. "Sort of."

After they heard the explanation, Marliss and Edme exchanged glances, then Marliss gave Brenna a smile. "Of all things to remember."

"I know," Brenna replied as she examined the datapad that her friend had bought. "But I guess it's a start."

"It certainly is," Edme said, looking at Caith for a moment before hugging his waist and kissing his cheek in a comforting gesture. Something passed between them and Brenna fought back a surge of loneliness, instead glancing back at Marliss, who was watching her.

"You had enough credits?"

The blonde woman nodded. "You gave us plenty. I just hope we got everything you wanted. That list you made was...very detailed."

"It all looks good to me," Brenna replied as she eyed the computer console with appreciation. It was a much newer model than anything in the Damaris household, and she knew she'd be able to do a great deal ofwork with it, along with the new datapad**. **"Thank you," she added, looking back at Marliss, then at Edme. "Both of you."

"Sure, Bren," Marliss said, getting to her feet. "It was nice to have some girl-time, anyway."

"I'm not a girl!" Tavi's voice was annoyed even as he looked up at his father. "Dad...tell them I'm _not _a girl."

Brenna's brother smiled down at his son, though Marliss jumped in before he could say anything. "I'm sorry, Tav. I meant that it was nice for me and Edme to have some girl-time; we know you're a boy."

"Yes, you are," Edme said, tousling her son's hair. "A wonderful one, at that, especially for being so patient while Mar and I bumbled around all of those tech-supply stores."

The little boy grinned at his mother, his eyes alight. "_Now_ I get my reward? You promised!"

Caith raised his brows at his wife. "Reward?"

"I told Tav that if he behaved himself, we'd let him watch our shooting lessons," Edme explained, nodding to the rear of the house, in the direction of the barns. Seeing Caith's frown, she tilted her chin. "Coric promised to keep an eye on him while Jesse and Chopper gave us the lesson."

The mention of the clones seemed to mollify Caith somewhat, though Brenna thought that he still wasn't thrilled at the idea. She didn't blame him, but she knew that this was one area where the clones excelled. "It'll be okay, Caith," she said. "You know you can rely on them."

"Yeah," he replied with a nod. "I know." He paused, then gave Brenna a careful look. "You'll be okay on your own?"

_Kriff, I'm not an invalid, or a child. _Her first response was to say that she was old enough not to stick her fingers in any power-sockets, but Brenna bit back the words and indicated the array of slicing equipment before her. "I'll be busy setting all of this up."

She added a small smile to the words. Although he didn't look entirely convinced, Caith nodded and glanced at his wife and son, and they slipped out of the room, heading for the door outside. Brenna and Marliss stood in silence for a moment, then Brenna glanced at the blonde woman. "Thank you...for everything. You and Fives have been so helpful this past week."

Nodding, Marliss looked down at the packages that Brenna had begun to open, her gaze seeming to want to fall anywhere but Brenna. "Are you going to set all this up here?"

"My bedroom, upstairs," Brenna replied, resisting the urge to yawn. Even though it was barely dinnertime, she felt tired more often than not. Sometimes, she felt like she could sleep for a month, straight. "It's quiet, out of the way. It should be a good place to get some work done."

Marliss paused, as if uncertain. "Do you want some help?"

Brenna shook her head, watching as the other woman made to slip out of the room. "No, thanks. I'll manage. You've done a lot for me."

A pained expression crossed Marliss' face as she looked back at Brenna, but when she spoke her voice was light. "That's what friends are for, Bren."

Once she'd carried the equipment upstairs, placing the unopened packages on the bed that was too big just for her, Brenna began the process of unwrapping and organizing everything, mentally going over what she'd need to do to get set up. There was a small desk at one side of the room, placed before a window that looked out across the pastures behind the house, and it was here that she thought would be the best place to do her work.

For a little while Brenna was able to forget about her problems and lose herself in something mundane and simple, and it was nice. While she fiddled with the settings on the datapad and figured out the best way to arrange the console, she wasn't fretting about whether or not her memory would return, and what she was going to do if it didn't.

Maybe she was distracted. Maybe she really was lost in her thoughts, or maybe he was adept at moving in silence, but when she heard a gentle rap against the door-frame, she nearly fell out of her chair in surprise.

"Sorry," Rex said from where he stood across the threshold of her room. "I didn't mean to startle you."

Brenna felt her face grow warm with embarrassment as she glanced at him. Rex was dressed as she'd seen him dress every day this week; warmly, as it was getting cooler with each passing day, and his cheeks were slightly ruddy as if from the constant brush of wind. Even through the somewhat bulky layers of clothing, she could make out his form, masculine and rugged, and she could see traces of stubble on his chin.

"It's okay," she managed to reply, smoothing out the front of her shirt. "I was distracted."

He nodded, then his eyes swept across the room, to the bed that was piled with the remnants of the equipments' packaging. She felt her own gaze drawn to the same spot, and felt another flash of heat course through her; was he thinking of shared memories? They were – had been – lovers, she knew. Certainly they'd shared a bed, if they'd shared their bodies.

Rex cleared his throat and she realized he was waiting for her permission to truly enter the room, so she indicated that it was okay. He approached her with caution, as though he was treading in an area filled with land-mines, and she fought back a swell of bitterness at the notion. _He's trying to be respectful, _she told herself. _They all are. Everyone here cares about you, but they are at as much of a loss as you are. _

_Patience. _

It would be the death of her. "Is everything okay, Rex?"

The thought occurred to her that something was wrong with Iri, so she sat up a bit straighter. He nodded, then straightened as well, his hands clasping behind his back and his feet halting shoulder-length apart, in a manner that was somewhat formal, but not – she thought – unfamiliar to him.

"I was thinking about giving Iri some riding lessons," he said in a careful voice. "She loves the quagga, and I'd like to start her off young. It'll be perfectly safe," he added quickly, as if Brenna was about to object. "Nova will be on a lead, with Kix at the other end. I'll be in the saddle with Iri, so I'll be in control of the quagga."

"Okay," Brenna replied, glancing down at the hem of her shirt, where she'd been absently toying with a loose thread.

At the word, Rex gave her an odd look, then took another step forward, so that he was just over an arm's length from her. "You didn't like her getting close to them...before."

"She'll be safe with you," Brenna replied quickly, trying to ignore the way that his voice softened on the word 'before.' _Before I was broken. Before everything changed._ "Besides, it's a good idea for her to learn how to ride from an early age."

Nodding, Rex seemed to relax a bit. Now, he glanced again at the assortment of equipment, then looked back at her with a raised brow. "Marliss said they bought out most of the store...she wasn't kidding."

At this, Brenna smiled, and held up the datapad she was working with. "If I could get this thing to work properly, I'd be set. I don't suppose you're any good at decryption-module software?"

He chuckled and shook his head. "I'm afraid not."

There was silence for a moment as she studied him without trying to seem like she was doing so. Beyond his physical appearance, Rex was handsome in a way that drew her, inexorably. It was a feeling that went beyond attraction, and with that thought, she wondered if maybe she was trying too hard to remember. Maybe she just needed to _feel. _

But there was a space between them that she didn't know how to close, so she hesitated. A look of uncertainty crossed his face, and she felt like a chance was slipping through her fingers, so she took a breath. "Rex...will you come here for a second?"

He was at her side in an instant, still looking at her with an intensely hopeful expression that belied the calm way with which he seemed to hold himself. Brenna considered saying something else, then decided to just act. She stood up and faced him, noting how his eyes widened and his breath caught, then she reached her right hand up – slowly, as if he'd dissipate if she moved too quickly – and placed her fingertips against the edge of his jaw, against a faint, pale scar.

There had been no real plan behind this action, and she didn't know what she was expecting would happen. Rex tensed even further, then his eyes half-closed and he leaned into her light touch, just a little bit, despite the fact that his posture and mannerisms seemed to indicate that he was trying very hard to resist moving. His skin was warm, a bit rough from the stubble, and she could tell that there was a strength in him that went beyond the corded muscles of his shoulders.

But beyond that, she felt nothing, and she had to fight back a surge of disappointment. Looking at him was like standing in front of a locked door that she didn't have any way of opening. She sighed. Eyes that were almost the color of gold opened and looked at her, and she was struck with the hope in his gaze, the _longing, _though once he registered her disappointment the hope faded, replaced by a calm that was most definitely forced.

"I'm...I'm sorry," she said thickly, turning around and sitting down once more. She picked up her datapad and tried not to look at him any more. "I think Iri will have fun. Thank you for teaching her how to ride."

There was a beat of silence, then she heard him exhale softly before he replied. "You're welcome, Bren."

He said nothing after that. As he walked out of the room, Brenna felt rather than heard his tread, the echo of his footsteps reverberating through her entire body, and she watched with dismay as the screen of her 'pad became dotted with tears.

* * *

_Sigh. This is probably the darkest chapter of the story. I know you're tired of hearing this, but things will get better. _

_Next time: Iri, Rex, and riding lessons. (Don't worry - she gets a helmet!) _

_Thank you for reading! Feel free to throw virtual rotten veggies at me to counteract any unpleasant feels brought about by the angst. _


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

Of course, _of course_, he'd failed her. Again. As Rex headed down the stairs, away from the room that he and Bren had shared, he mentally berated himself for his lax in control; he'd let himself get carried away by a simple touch and he'd obviously upset her in some way. She'd been trying to get back into some semblance of routine, not flirt with him.

But her touch had reminded him of far too much, and he'd not been able to help himself as memories flooded his mind: tastes and sounds and smells, whispers in the dark and quiet night, the feel of her head resting on his chest as she slept. Yes, he missed the passion, but he mostly just missed _her, _and for one wild moment, he'd hoped that she was magically cured and things would go back to how they had been, but then he'd seen the disappointment in her eyes and knew that wasn't the case.

_Nothing to do but keep going, right?_ Rex reached the bottom of the stairs and sighed.

Dr. Bores had said that they should try and stay positive, be patient and just give her time...Force, he _wanted_ to do all of those things, but it was growing harder and harder to be around Brenna not knowing if she'd ever look at him the same way as she had, once. Before.

_But this isn't about me_, he reminded himself as he slipped outside and made his way to the paddock, where Kix and Iri were waiting. _This is about her, and what she needs. What _I _want isn't the point._

It was cool, pleasantly so, and as Rex approached his daughter and his brother, he tried to push away the sharper edge of his agitation, hoping that it would get carried away by the Alderaani wind.

Standing just outside the paddock fence with Kix, Iri spotted him first. "Daddy!" she shrieked, then broke out of Kix's not-quite-secure-enough hold to dart towards Rex.

Despite his sorrow, despite the worry and agitation that had become his constant companions, Rex couldn't help but smile at the toddler's enthusiastic greeting even as he inwardly marveled at the term. _Daddy. _

"Hey, kiddo," he laughed, scooping the little blonde girl up and kissing her cheek beneath the child-sized helmet she wore. "Ready to ride?"

"Pony!"

Kix hurried up, a somewhat chagrined look on his face as he looked at Rex. "Sorry...she got away from me."

"Yeah, she's good at that," Rex replied as Iri gave Kix a wide smile. "When she sets her mind to something, she can be a force to be reckoned with. Right_ Iri'ka_?"

While Iri giggled, Kix indicated Nova, saddled and waiting in the paddock. "She's ready to go. Was Bren...er..."

"She was okay with it," Rex replied quickly. "Let's just get underway."

Rex shifted the toddler so that she was resting on his hip and made his way to the gate that led to the interior of the paddock. In the distance, he could make out Jesse, Chopper, Caith and Edme facing what appeared to be a section of makeshift targets that had been set up in an empty pasture; the clones were instructing the civvies in the proper positioning of a blaster-rifle, and though he couldn't hear what any of them were saying, he knew that his brothers had the situation well in hand. If he squinted, he could make out Coric and Tav, seated nearby. Jensine was nowhere to be found.

Nor were Fives and Marliss, but he didn't wonder at that; no one blamed the young couple for wanting to spend time alone. Beyond the paddock, beside the barn, he could see Nala Se's lab. The windows had been covered with curtains, so that they could only see an occasional glimpse of the Kaminoan's shadow as she moved through the interior.

Perhaps the former medic's thoughts were in the same vein, or maybe he'd caught the direction of Rex's gaze. Either way, as they approached where he'd tied the quagga, Kix cleared his throat. "Nala Se has been working nonstop since she got here; she hardly sleeps, and I have to bring her food just to make sure she eats. Coric and I were able to follow along for a little bit, but I'm afraid neither of us have any idea what she's up to, now."

"Does she still think she can manage it?"

At this, Kix pursed his lips, which sent a flare of alarm through Rex, though he waited for his brother's reply. Finally, as they reached the quagga, Kix gave a shrug. "She hopes she can. It's a difficult task she's taken on, you know? We just need to be patient."

_Patient_, Rex thought with a sigh. He hugged Iri closer to his chest. _Of-kriffing-course._ "Yeah. I guess."

While Nova wore a standard saddle and bridle, Kix had also attached a loose-fitting, nylon halter over the bridle on her head, so that he could direct her on the lead-line. Even though he knew that his brother would have done so, Rex paused to check that the girth that held the saddle on the quagga's back was secure and that nothing was pinching her, then he looked at Iri, who was studying his every move.

"Irini, I know you're excited to ride Nova," he said in his most captain-like tone. "But you have to be very nice to her, because when you ride, the two of you are a team. You must be quiet and calm, and not do anything to startle her. If you treat her well, she'll do as you want her to. Do you understand?"

Honey-brown eyes regarded him, and he wondered how much she picked up of what he'd said. A moment later, she nodded vigorously, the movement causing her bright-green helmet to bob just a little bit. "Iri nice to pony. Promise."

Rex glanced at Kix, who'd gathered up the lead-line and was standing at Nova's head, stroking her nose. Though Rex would primarily be in charge of the quagga, Kix's role was a secondary means of control, just in case. "Ready?"

Rather than answer, the former medic gave him a salute, which made Iri giggle even as Rex sighed. Moments later, Rex carefully placed Iri at the front of the wide saddle, instructing her to hang on to the leather pommel while he mounted behind her. To his pleasure, Nova barely flicked her ears at the presence of the child, and she remained standing calmly. Once he was secure, Rex gathered up the reins with one hand and wrapped the other around his daughter. "You okay, _Iri'ka_?"

He felt a flare of pride when the toddler replied, "yes, Daddy."

Nodding, Rex looked at Kix again, who began to let out the line, positioning himself so that he was at the center of the rounded paddock while Rex nudged Nova with his heels. At the silent signal, the quagga began to walk forward, her stride relaxed and easy. Before him, Rex felt Iri tense as if she was nervous, so he gave her arm a gentle squeeze and murmured a few words of encouragement to help her relax.

For about fifteen minutes, they circled the paddock, Rex keeping the quagga's gait at a steady walk while Iri grew accustomed to the feel of Nova's movements. Gradually, the little girl relaxed more and more, until she actually twisted to beam up at him. "Iri ride quagga!"

At the expression, Rex felt a thrill of love for his daughter. It was laced with pride, because she was doing so well and she was still so young. Because she was strong and brave, and she had her entire life ahead of her, no matter how short his own might be. While it hurt to be around her mother, the feeling was mitigated by the joy of spending time like this with Irini, and it was bright moments like these that allowed him to bear the other, darker ones.

"That's right, _Iri'ka,_" he replied with a chuckle. "You're a natural."

* * *

The lesson continued for another hour or so, until Rex decided to call it a day; dinner time would be in a few hours, and Nova still had to be groomed and returned to her stall. Kix offered to take care of the quagga, but Rex opted to do so himself, with Iri in tow. After he and Kix parted ways, Rex led Nova to the interior of the barn, placing her in an open-sided stall that was used for grooming purposes, removed the leather tack and set it aside to be cleaned later on, then pulled out a rounded curry-comb. Once he explained how to use the comb, he and Irini spent a nice, quiet half-hour grooming the quagga, who seemed pleased at all the attention. Rex was sure to keep an eye on his daughter to ensure that she didn't wander around Nova's hindquarters – he didn't think the quagga would kick, but he wasn't about to take the chance – and lifted her up so that she could reach Nova's back with the comb.

For the duration, he was able to set the bulk of his worry for Bren aside and simply enjoy being with Iri, who was clearly having a grand time. Motes of dust caught in the late-afternoon light and danced around them as she chattered away to the equine, and the air was filled with the warm scent of quagga, with a faint, sweet tinge that Rex attributed to the bundles of hay resting throughout the barn. Once they were finished, he led Nova to her stall, thinking that Iri probably needed a bath after this, and that she was also likely getting hungry, when his gaze fell on Nala Se's lab.

Since he'd returned to Alderaan, Rex hadn't spent much time around the Kaminoan, partly because he had so much else on his mind and partly because...well, despite her willingness to help the clones and her politeness, he still wasn't entirely comfortable around her.

_But she is working hard, and for us, _he reminded himself. _The least I can do is check in on her once in a while. _He remembered Nala Se's interest in Iri as well, and thought that the Kaminoan might appreciate another visit with the little girl. Rex checked that the latch on Nova's stall was secure, then glanced down at Irini, who'd been following along. "What do you say we pay a visit to Nala Se,_ Iri'ka_?"

The little girl gave a delighted giggle and nodded, then lifted her arms up to him, adding "up, Daddy!" as she did so. Obliging her, Rex scooped her up and they made their way to the little building nearby the barn, pausing at the door so that Rex could knock.

The door slid to the side and Nala Se appeared, but before Rex could say anything, Iri gave an excited squeal. "Naa Say! Naa Say!"

To her credit, the Kaminoan didn't even bat her eyes at the toddler's shouting, only dipped her head in a graceful gesture of greeting. Rex shifted Iri in his arms and cleared his throat. "Good afternoon...may we come in?"

"Of course," she replied, stepping aside and extending her arm to the interior of the lab, which was much cleaner and more organized than he remembered. "You are both welcome, here."

Upon falling on the rows of gleaming lab equipment, Irini's eyes grew round and Rex wondered if this was a bad idea, because she could get into so much trouble in a place like this, but Nala Se seemed unconcerned as she shut the door and motioned for them to come further inside. "There is nothing in here that will harm your daughter," she said as she made her way to the center of the room, where Rex could see that she'd been working at a computer. "Do not worry."

"I don't want her to...harm anything either," Rex replied, holding Iri tightly as she squirmed in his arms, demanding to be put down.

Nala Se looked at him and gave him a smile that was – he thought – a little sad. "There is no need to worry about that."

Wondering what the Kaminoan meant by such a thing, Rex set Iri on the floor, though he took a knee and met her eyes, injecting his next words with all the authority he could muster. "Irini, it's very important that you don't touch anything in here. There are many things that could hurt you. I need you to be _careful_. Look with your eyes, not with your hands."

"Promise, Daddy." Iri's nod was quick and her eyes were already darting around, and Rex sighed to himself, though he stood up and watched as she began to wander around the room.

After a moment, he glanced at the Kaminoan, whose eyes were fixed on Irini as the toddler examined the underside of every table. "I'm sorry I haven't been in to see you before. But I've heard how hard you're working for us all and wanted to thank you. How are things progressing? Do you need anything?"

As she shook her head in response, Nala Se's gray eyes flickered to him, but she continued to study Iri. "She is quite lovely," she said, nodding to the toddler. "And she is healthy, as well. You and your mate are...lucky."

Lately he didn't feel so lucky, but when he watched his daughter he knew that wasn't true. "She is beautiful," he replied as Iri made her way to the Kaminoan, eyes wide and head tilted almost all the way back as she studied Nala Se. "And the doctor in Belleau-a-Lir confirmed what you told me: Iri didn't inherit my rapid-aging, so she'll live a long life."

"Naa Say...up?" Iri held out her arms and gave the Kaminoan a bright, hopeful smile.

To Rex's surprise, Nala Se glanced his way. "Is it acceptable if I hold her?"

"Of...of course," he stammered, caught off-guard at the notion.

Nodding, Nala Se bent and picked up Iri, her movement fluid and graceful as they all were. There were a few minutes where she and the toddler seemed to examine each other, during which Rex tried to reconcile the sight of his child in the arms of a Kaminoan. Iri was laughing, tugging at Nala Se's slender fingers and chattering about something he couldn't catch, but that wasn't remarkable.

The Kaminoan was smiling.

It was a true smile, wide and full and filled with joy, and in all his days, he'd never thought to see such a thing. Kaminoans did not express emotion like other sentients, for it was considered a sign of weakness among a people who held scientific detachment in the highest regard. Though Rex thought it odd, he didn't fault them for it, as he knew it was the way of their kind. But still.

Nala Se laughed – actually _laughed _– at something the toddler said, and Rex felt a strong flare of pride that his daughter had elicited such a reaction in the stately Kaminoan. Beneath the pride, however, was curiosity. Why was it so, with Nala Se? Somehow, he didn't think that most others of her species would react this way to seeing a child, let alone a child of one of their own creations.

Perhaps she sensed his curiosity, for the Kaminoan glanced his way and spoke in a quiet voice. "Before I was reassigned to medical duties, I acted as a caretaker for the youngest clones."

"Why were you reassigned?"

Something somber passed over the Kaminoan's face, like a wispy cloud across the sun, for it was faint and fleeting even though her next words were calm. "It was decided that I became too easily attached to them. However, my compassion was noted to be useful upon occasion, hence my transference to the medcenter at Kaliida Shoals."

There was a pause, then Nala Se cast him an unreadable look as Iri toyed with the buttons of her tunic. "I was thankful that I could continue to help your brothers..."

Rex exhaled, understanding washing over him. "...but you missed being with the children."

She nodded, then looked back at Irini, affection swirling in her gray eyes. "Kaminoans do not believe in destiny because it cannot be measured," she continued. "Even its existence cannot be proven. But I always felt – just a little – that it was _right _for me to be with the younger clones."

She paused here, seeming to think over her words, and Rex nearly shifted his body into parade-rest on reflex, but withheld the urge. That kind of formality was not needed any longer. Instead, he leaned against a table that held an assortment of flimsis and datapads, and waited.

Finally, Nale Se took a breath and reached a hand up to stroke Iri's curls back from her face, smiling as the toddler giggled. "You had so much potential," she said slowly. "All of you. So much promise. Too much, I thought, to be treated as you were. As something disposable."

Her words were so soft, but they struck Rex with the intensity of a seismic charge. It had never occurred to him that any Kaminoan felt this way about their "products," though he understood that Nala Se had been somewhat ostracized for her perspective.

He knew what most citizens had thought of the clones during the Wars, even as his brothers fought and died by the thousands: _flesh-droids, bucket-heads, meat-cans, cannon fodder._ Expendable, the lot of them. It was not something that Rex, or any clone, really, had tried to dwell on; it became one of those things that everyone knew of but did not discuss, like the incinerators aboard the starships that had consumed the bodies of the dead.

Though Rex had not thought of the Besalisk in some time, Krell's words came back to him: _I will not be undermined by creatures bred in some laboratory._

_Yes, we were grown by the thousands, with one purpose alone,_ Rex thought as he watched his daughter and Nala Se; Irini laughed, the bright sound filling the room. _Yes, we were trained to fight and born to die in someone else's war._

_But we are still men._

* * *

_While I have no idea if my portrayal of Nala is "accurate" as far as canon goes (there just isn't much about her out there), I feel very strongly that not all the Kaminoans were cold, unfeeling scientists. There is an innate sense of wonder involved in the act of scientific discovery, and I'd like to think that such a thing lends itself to compassion for life - "manufactured" or otherwise. _

_Thanks so much for reading. :)_

_Next time: News from Nala Se.  
_


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

Since Nala Se and Iri were enjoying themselves so much, Rex decided to linger for a few minutes longer than he'd originally planned. Additionally, he recalled the Kaminoan's abrupt subject-change when he'd first mentioned her work, and wondered if there was something that she needed to speak to him about. He decided to broach the subject on his own when Iri was seated in a chair, playing with a datapad that Nala Se assured him was empty of any critical research.

"What's the status of your work?" Rex asked, still leaning against the table. "Do you need anything further from any of us, or any supplies from town?"

The Kaminoan, who'd been in the process of bending to speak to the toddler, grew very still, which sent a flare of warning through Rex. But she seemed to collect herself as she drew her body upright and met his eyes. When she spoke her words were very deliberate, as if she'd rehearsed them several times. "I cannot complete the cure."

Rex blinked. "You-"

"I have reached an impasse," Nala Se continued, her hands closing before her and her voice taking on that smooth, even resonance as the rest of her species. "I have need of a compound that I cannot manufacture, as it was specially formulated for your genetic structure." Her shoulders sank, belying her emotionless voice. "I am...sorry."

His body felt strange, heavy and numb with disbelief. It was difficult to hear her correctly, as his blood was pumping quite distinctly in his ears, so he took a deep breath to try and collect himself. "That's...well-"

Nala Se met his eyes with her own, and he could now discern the regret that was within her gaze even if her voice was still too calm. "I wish I could say differently."

Even though he nodded to her and – possibly – said some mundane words of thanks, Rex wanted to break something. Frustration and simmering kind of anger were boiling through his veins, and he was filled with an urge to either tear the lab apart or _order _the kriffing long-neck to find an alternative, to work harder, to do _something _other than give up, but he knew that such an outburst would be serve no purpose. Instead, he swallowed and reached for Iri, gathering her in his arms as carefully as he could given that he was starting to tremble.

They were out the door before Iri realized what was going on. Once she did, however, the toddler began to wail in protest, her cries uncommonly loud against the darkening, violet sky where a few scattered stars had begun to show. Rex wanted to shush her, but could hardly put one thought in front of the other, so he simply held her close and made his way across the yard, towards the main house.

_Iri needs dinner, and a bath,_ he thought as his boots crunched across the gravel, like his body was on autopilot, along with his brain. _And a story before bed-_

Suddenly, Iri's cries ceased and he heard her hiccup once before she said: "Puppy!"

There were no dogs out here.

Rex froze in his tracks as the bleating sound of a terrified vilpaca broke through the air, and the former captain whirled around just in time to see a shadowy, canine figure of a mountain anooba begin to lope away from the villie barn, making its way towards the horizon and the far pastures. The sight made something inside Rex fracture and begin to fill with fury.

_That kriffing anooba. _

He had to do something, _anything_. He was done with standing around, feeling helpless in the wake of so much grief and frustration; he was done with being patient, with waiting for things to get better. He was _done_.

A gust of cool, evening wind brushed against him, but he hardly noticed as his jaw tightened and he hurried towards the house, because his mind was already working out a plan of attack. Once inside, he spoke to Caith and Edme, who agreed to take his daughter and didn't ask him any other questions while he collected his warmest jacket and some supplies. Though he disliked leaving Iri, it was necessary for the task at hand. Once he'd gathered what he'd need, he returned to the quagga barn and saddled up Nova again.

By the time they were ready to go, dusk was falling in earnest, though Rex knew that he would at least have a few hours before true dark. Already, the cold was like a living thing that curled around him, enclosing him in its embrace with enough force to make breathing somewhat difficult, and he knew it would only get colder as the darkness fell. But that didn't matter. He was ready for the cold; he welcomed the challenge it presented. Rex swung into the saddle and urged Nova into a canter, and together they raced towards the far pasture, following the anooba's path.

* * *

When Brenna woke up from the nightmare it was very late, and save the whistle of wind outside and her own heaving breath, the house was silent.

The first thing she did was reach for the place beside her, but when her hand found nothing but empty space, she knew that she was alone. The blankets were tangled around her legs and a thin film of sweat coated her body, and her breath was short as if she'd been running full throttle. A deep breath brought her further into wakefulness. Her room was dark, but through the curtains over the window she could see a silver glow cast by the light of the moon, so she sat up and ran her hands through her hair, trying to remember what had frightened her so.

But it was a futile effort. In the way of nightmares, whatever it was had faded the instant her eyes had opened.

This was not the first time such a thing had happened since her abduction, so she exhaled deeply and lay back again, trying to calm her still-racing heart enough to allow her to drop back into sleep, but even as she did she knew it wouldn't work. No matter how exhausted she became during the day, it was difficult to relax enough to sleep at night when she was alone and the entire world was dark, and even the walls around her seemed close and ominous. The doctor had given her anti-anxiety meds, but she didn't like the way they made her feel any more than she liked the idea of drugging herself for any reason.

It was cold as well, so she drew the blanket close around her and waited for her body heat to warm her up naturally, all while listening to the persistent, sighing wind outside of her bedroom and thinking that she didn't want to be alone, right now.

A soft creaking sound – the floorboards – alerted her to the fact that someone else was in her room, and her heartbeat quickened as she sat up. But the figure was small and blonde, and Brenna felt a strange sense of gratitude to her daughter as she leaned over and turned on the lamp beside her bed. "What are you doing up, Iri?"

"Missed Mama." Iri approached the bedside and lifted her arms. Moments later the little girl was snuggled up to her chest, so Brenna wrapped them both securely in the blanket and lay back down, hugging Irini's warm body close.

"I'm right here, sweetheart," she whispered to her daughter's curls. "I'm not going anywhere."

Iri nodded, then tilted her head up to Brenna, her honey-brown eyes curious. "Why Mama sad?"

For a moment, Brenna didn't know what to say, so she only sighed and tried to sound more confident than she felt. "It's hard to explain."

"Daddy says Mama sick."

This made Brenna's heart skip a beat. "Daddy?"

Again, Iri nodded. The gesture was far too serious for such a little girl, and Brenna wondered if all the children of clones were this way, or if it was just hers. With her family's help she'd been able to recall Tucker, to a degree, but by all accounts he had not been so solemn. No, Iri reminded her more of-

"_Rex_, Mama," Iri said with a sigh when Brenna didn't say anything more. "_Daddy_."

"Right," Brenna managed, blinking against a sudden prick of emotion behind her eyes. "Daddy."

"Silly Mama." Iri gave Brenna a somewhat exasperated look, then her expression changed and she ducked her head to hug Brenna's neck beneath the covers. "Daddy loves Mama. Iri loves Mama. Want Mama get better."

With that, the toddler closed her eyes and seemed to fall asleep in an instant, her breath coming in soft puffs against Brenna's sleep-shirt. There was a beat, then Brenna reached up and hugged her closer, breathing in her scent as she was overwhelmed with love for her child. It was too vast for her heart to contain, too strong to be kept within the confines of her mind, so intense that it was almost a physical ache, and she blinked harder, because she didn't want to cry but thought it was imminent.

It didn't matter that she couldn't quite remember how she'd picked out Iri's name. It didn't matter that there were still large pieces of her memory missing, pieces that she was starting to think she'd never find again. It didn't matter. Life was more than the sum of memories; she had the proof here, in the warm, little body that was nestled so securely in her arms.

_The only thing that would make this moment better would be if Rex were here. _

The understanding bloomed without warning, welling up from some hidden place within her heart. Looking back down at her daughter's sleeping form, the idea occurred to her that Iri's simple words struck at the truth of the matter. _We love you and want you to get better. _Brenna wasn't alone, even though it felt so, especially when her family walked on eggshells around her and treated her like a guest.

_It's so hard for all of them, too_, she thought, taking a deep breath and picturing their faces: Edme, Marliss, Jensine, Caith. _To worry that when I look at them, I only see strangers. _

Even if they weren't quite sure how to handle what had happened to her, Brenna knew in her heart that her family had been supportive as best they could, and she felt a bit humbled by the understanding. Like Rex, they were trying to help her, even though they probably thought they were failing her.

Suddenly, she had to do _something_. Brenna knew that she could not lie here any longer; she loved this moment with Iri but she was filled with an urge to find Rex and tell him-

Well, she wasn't quite certain, yet.

As carefully as she could, Brenna sat up and gathered Iri in her arms to take the little girl back to her bed, all while trying to cobble together something of a plan of action. Rex hadn't been at dinner; Caith mentioned that he'd said something about finding the anooba that had been roaming around the property. Though he hadn't said as much, Caith had implied that Rex was upset about something, a suspicion that was supported by the fact that Caith had said Rex wouldn't be returning that night.

Iri didn't stir as Brenna stepped through the house, down the stairs to the childrens' room, or when Brenna set her back in her bed and ensured that she was tucked in. From there, Brenna hurried back up to her room to change into warmer clothes. Once she was dressed, she slipped back downstairs and spent a few minutes gathering some food and utensils, which she then packed so that they would easily fit into a saddlebag. She wasn't exactly sure where Rex was, but she knew that the anooba had been seen in only a few areas, and of those there were only one or two that were far enough out to necessitate an overnight stay.

Once she was ready, Brenna slipped out of the house and made her way to the barn, thinking that she'd take one of the quagga rather than a speeder. The moon was full and bright, providing plenty of light to see by, and the quagga were quite adept at moving across the terrain. Besides, she still didn't want to be alone.

Boots crunching over the gravel, Brenna adjusted her scarf and gloves as she made her way to the stables. When she glanced up, she saw Jensine walking towards her, as if her mother was returning to the house. Brenna took a deep breath and continued walking. They met in the middle of the yard that lay between the house and the barn, each of them coming to a halt before the other. Jensine studied Brenna for one moment, then gave a swift nod.

"Rex is in the eastern pasture," she said, thumbing in the appropriate direction. "Or he was, a few hours ago." A pale brow lifted. "If you're going to look for him."

"I have to talk to him." Brenna blinked and looked up at the moon. The wind seared at her cheeks while she searched for the right words. "I just...need to find him."

Jensine nodded, then shifted her feet against the gravel drive, her hands in her pockets. "Are you taking a speeder?"

"No," Brenna said, then winced at her own sharp tone. "I mean...I want to ride."

Something about this made Jensine chuckle, and her blue eyes gleamed in the moonlight as she looked up at her daughter. "Then you should take Rico. He's fast and sure-footed. He won't let you down."

Brenna nodded and made to continue walking, but her mother spoke again and halted her in her tracks. "Want some help getting him saddled?"

There was no softness in Jensine's voice, no gentleness or reassurance, but it was suddenly so familiar that Brenna found herself fighting back tears for what felt like the umpteenth time this evening. She looked back at her mother and smiled. "That would be great, Mom. Thanks."

Together, they made their way to the stables. While Jensine gathered the necessary tack, Brenna approached the quagga stall, speaking to him in a reassuring voice as she unlatched the stall door. Rico had been sleeping, though upon the Humans' entrance he gave an excited snort that made Brenna chuckle to herself as she led him out. They saddled him up quickly, and Brenna took comfort in the fact that her body knew how to do this task even when her mind had failed her. Soon she was securing the saddlebags while Jensine held the reins.

There was an overturned barrel outside that was used to step up in order to mount, but Jensine offered to help instead, so Brenna accepted the offer. Once she was astride Rico's back, she felt the urge to be moving even more strongly than before, so she glanced down at her mother and opened her mouth to speak.

But Jensine beat her to the punch. "I'll look after Iri until you get back, so there's no need to hurry," she said with a business-like nod. "But don't take too long, or I'll spoil that little girl rotten."

Nodding, Brenna thought it was time to go, but before she nudged Rico with her heels she took a breath. "Mom?"

"Yes?"

Brenna glanced down at her gloved hand that had started to toy with the tufted edge of Rico's mane before she was able to look back at her mother. "Thanks."

Jensine's reply was quiet. "I'm here for you, Brenna. Whenever you need me – and even when you don't want me around – I will always be here for you."

Something inside of her fractured a little more and she was filled with warmth despite the chill of the air. "I needed to hear that," she heard herself saying. "Thank you."

The two women exchanged a long look, then Jensine cleared her throat and nodded to the moon-soaked horizon. "What are you waiting for?"

There was the faintest edge of teasing to the words, and Brenna smiled as she nudged Rico's sides with her heels. She pointed him due east, and they were off in a flurry of hoofbeats and moonlight.

* * *

_Thank you for reading! _

_Next time: A campfire and one of my favorite scenes ever. I'm so excited to finally get to share it with y'all. :D  
_


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

Even close to the campfire he was creating, cold seeped past the barrier of Rex's insulated jacket and gloves, but he didn't mind the feeling. Like the moonlight that cast everything in silver, the chill sharpened his senses and made him more alert, because out here, under the open, endless sky, he could truly _breathe. _He could think, not about all the pieces of his life that were crumbling to dust in his hands, but about simple things. Things he could do something about.

Things like the anooba.

In the back of his mind, Rex knew that part of the reason he was so caught up with finding the creature was because it was a distraction from his other, more pressing problems. Perhaps it was also a way for him to exert some kind of control over his discordant life, but he'd pushed the thoughts aside in order to focus on his self-appointed task.

The kriffing thing had eluded him, again. Rex had done nearly a full sweep of this section of the Damaris' land until he realized that the predator was nowhere to be found. He'd debated returning to the ranch, then decided to remain out here, setting up camp for the night, just in case the mountain anooba thought it was safe to make an appearance.

A few meters to his right, well within the glowing perimeter of the portable heat-lamps that he'd brought, Nova stood, head dropped and one rear hoof cocked in her sleep. The quagga's peaceful stance alerted Rex to the fact that the anooba was probably not in the immediate vicinity. Nor would it return, probably, given his presence and that of the fire, which most wild creatures feared.

However, even if it did choose to show up, he was ready. His blaster-rifle was charged and at his side, and as Rex leaned over the beginnings of his campfire – built more for the comforting glow than the heat, which was provided by the lamps – he felt slightly more at ease. Above his head, the part of the sky that was not soaked in the pale light of the moon was coated with stars, as though someone had scattered handfuls of sugar across a dark cloth. The omnipresent Alderaani wind teased his jacket and toyed with the edges of his hat as it rested on his folded knee.

Before him, the flames that he'd coaxed from a bundle of dried kindling began to lick upward in earnest, greedily consuming the timber and growing brighter with each moment. When he was satisfied that the fire would not die anytime soon, Rex sat back on the blanket he'd brought and exhaled as he looked up at the stars. It was nice – more than nice, actually – out here, but despite his best efforts, he could take little comfort in the open sky, not like he used to. While the lamps provided relative warmth, beneath the blanket the ground was cold, hard and unforgiving, and he considered retiring to his tent and trying to sleep, though he remained in place.

He missed Bren.

It didn't matter that he heard her voice every day or was able to sit beside her at dinner, because he was starting to understand that the woman he'd fallen in love with was truly gone, and he didn't know what he was going to do without her.

_I wanted us to be a family_, he thought, frowning at the fire that could do nothing to warm him. _But it's not going to happen, is it? At least not like I hoped. _She was so wary and he was terrified of hurting her again, but keeping his distance like this-

It was hard. Harder than anything else he'd ever had to do, and it felt wrong, besides. But what did he know of what she was going through? Rex was a clone. His entire existence was based on the sum of his experience and memories, and he honestly had no idea what he would do if those things – his very identity – were taken away from him. Even knowledge of the clone army's true purpose had not diminished his love for his brothers or his fighting spirit, though it had caused a huge blow to the man he'd thought he'd been.

But Rex thought in a lot of ways he was a new man, now.

He wanted to help Brenna, somehow, he just had no kriffing idea _how_, and it was starting to be more than he could bear to watch her look at him and know that she was seeing a stranger. He wanted to embrace her, tell her he loved her no matter what and then kiss her senseless, but he was certain that such a thing would only cause more problems than not. In his mind, it didn't matter what he wanted, only what she _needed_, and he thought that such a thing was not him trying to rush her into remembering what she couldn't, or force her to just accept that they were a family, and go about their lives like everything was normal.

But _nothing_ was normal. He wanted to believe that things would be better, but it was difficult, especially with the woman he loved hurting so much, and with the lack of a cure for his brothers' rapid-aging. Rex felt the weight of that realization settle over him anew. He'd failed Bren, failed his brothers. Only Iri seemed to have come out of things unscathed, though he would have given anything, _anything_, for her to have her mother whole and healthy again.

Nova's soft whicker broke him out of his thoughts, and he watched as the quagga lifted her head, nostrils flaring and ears pricked forward. A heartbeat later, the rhythmic sound of hooves against the cold ground reached him, and he was on his feet in one fluid motion as the other rider approached.

It only took him a moment to register Bren's figure atop the other quagga, and his heart leaped into his throat as he watched her ride up, pausing about a meter outside of the perimeter of the heat-lamps' warm glow. She was dressed in a similar manner to himself: long, woolen coat, gloves and a scarf, though her head was uncovered and the wind was lifting her hair around her face. Her skin was creamy pale in the moonlight and she was so beautiful he suddenly couldn't look at her directly, so he stepped over and focused on holding her quagga – Rico, he realized – as she dismounted.

Brenna said nothing to him at first, only reached for the nearest saddlebag and began to rummage through its contents, while he gathered Rico's reins and tried not to seem like he was scrutinizing her every movement. What was she doing out here? His mind went to their daughter at first, but if there'd been a real problem with Iri, Brenna likely would have comm'd, or sent one of his brothers out on a speeder to retrieve him. Just as he was about to ask her what was going on, she withdrew a canvas bag and glanced back his way.

"You weren't at the house for dinner," she said as her gloved hand tightened around the bag. "I thought you might be hungry."

He had rations, of course, but the idea that she'd brought him something to eat was heartening, so Rex indicated the blanket where he'd been siting a moment ago, and within a few moments they were seated beside one another, close but not touching, and she was pulling out a variety of plasti-containers. Soon they had an assortment of food between them, and after she handed him a fork, he thanked her, removed his gloves, and began to eat.

The first container held roasted vegetables mixed with chunks of savory nerf, and it was delicious, but his attention was too heavily pulled towards her for him to really focus on the meal. Brenna sat cross-legged, arms folded and resting on her knees, and her face was turned up to the stars. The moon and the fire's glow cast her in silver and gold, and for one moment she looked ethereal, unattainable as a star, but far more beautiful. A slip of wind toyed with the edges of her hair and scarf, causing her hands to lift and rub at her upper arms, and it took every ounce of his self-control to keep from dropping his food and embracing her in the hope of staving off the chill.

Brenna was no Jedi, no mind-reader, but Rex wanted to think that on some level she still knew him well, so when she glanced at him as if she understood his desire he tried not to seem too eager. When she spoke, her words were quiet against the wind and the darkness beyond the fire. "I don't remember how we met."

From what they could tell, some memories were returning to her, but it was only after she discussed them with someone else who'd been present at the time. She'd been so busy with Iri and with trying to put her own mind back together, he'd been reluctant to push her to remember anything about the two of them, so he chose his words with care and tried to hold his excitement back.

The fork was nearly to his mouth, but he set it down and cleared his throat while he formed his reply. "It was on a Republic warship called the _Resolute, _just over a year ago."

Her forehead creased as she studied him, and after a moment she frowned down at her gloves. "I don't know...that doesn't seem right, somehow."

"No," he said, wincing at his mistake, made in eagerness. "You're right. We met in a cantina, though we were both serving on the _Resolute_ at the time."

A moment passed, and she frowned again. "We met in a cantina...on Toydaria? No," she added, shaking her head. "Not Toydaria..."

Rex sighed and glanced down at his fork. "Mimban. You're thinking of what we drank. Toydarian Teases."

"Oh." She looked thoughtful, then actually gave a soft chuckle. "You got drunk, right? And tried to kiss me?"

"I was kind of hoping that you wouldn't remember that, of all things," he replied before he could stop himself. However, the instant the words left his mouth he froze, because he didn't think that teasing her – even gently – about her affliction was the best course of action.

But she startled him with her laughter, bright as any fire, and he watched the way her eyes crinkled in amusement when she looked at him. "I remember you nearly fell off of the barstool," she said, giggling in earnest. "And you turned this odd shade of green."

"Don't remind me," he said with an eye-roll, though he was inwardly delighted at her reaction, for now she was grinning at him, back straight while her hands rested in her lap; her eyes were alert and her expression was open and eager.

Feeling hopeful in the direction the conversation had taken, Rex tried to keep the mood casual, so he selected another bite of dinner while he considered his next words. "It wasn't one of my prouder moments," he said at last. "I thought I'd botched the whole encounter."

She shrugged. "Maybe you did, but apparently I didn't hold it against you for too long." There was quiet for a moment more while she seemed to think something over, then she shot him a curious look. "Why do I keep thinking about ration cubes?"

Meal finished, Rex set the container and fork aside, but did not replace his gloves. "That would be because of a joke I played on you on our...second date."

Her brows lifted. "A joke? You?"

"Stranger things have been known to happen," he replied with a half-smile that he knew she liked. Indeed, he watched her return the look as he elaborated. "If you've forgotten how they taste, I envy you."

Bren made a noise of displeasure and her nose wrinkled. "Unfortunately not. That's one of the things that stuck, I guess."

Despite her words he could read amusement in her eyes, so he gave a shrug and an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that."

Neither one spoke for a few minutes as they watched the fire, which had grown a bit stronger as the time had passed. Rex spared a moment to glance around their immediate area and assess the condition of the camp, the quagga, and the terrain: all appeared to be well. When he looked back at Brenna, she was watching him with an expression he didn't know how to read, anymore.

"You taught me how to fight, didn't you?"

He felt a flash of heat course through him, though whether it was anger or embarrassment, he couldn't have said. Perhaps something of both. His hands were starting to get cold, but rather than replace his gloves, he held them, palms up, to the fire. "I wanted you to be able to protect yourself," he replied. The anger heightened and the embarrassment merged to chagrin, and his hands trembled for all that he tried to keep them steady. "But I failed you."

"Rex-"

"I'm sorry, Brenna," he said, dropping his hands and looking back at her. "I have failed you, again and again, and there's nothing I can do to make it right."

Suddenly she was leaning forward and her hand was on his; the touch of her knitted gloves over his skin was warm and her eyes were fixed on his own. "No, Rex," she said in a deliberate voice. "Because of what you taught me, I was able to defend myself. I was able to kill Arcas and get away, get back here. From a certain point of view, you saved me."

"You've never killed anyone before," he replied, shaking his head. Her touch was welcome, but he couldn't let himself forget the severity of the change within her in the wake of other, more pleasant distractions. "Bren...it wasn't supposed to be like this, for you. I may have taught you how to fight, but I never wanted you to have to do it. It's _my_ job to keep you safe."

"We can't choose what happens to us, sometimes," she said, the words quiet against the crackling of the fire. "Only how we deal with it. I did what I had to do to get back to...you."

Her features softened as she looked at him, and he felt himself trembling from the effort of holding back, of keeping his own selfish desires in check. He had to restrain himself, for her sake. It was the honorable thing to do. It was the right thing to do, especially when he'd faltered at every other step of this journey.

Brenna was no mind-reader, but she knew him well, perhaps in a way that surpassed any sort of memory. Her next words, softly spoken, confirmed his hope, fragile that it still was. "You didn't fail me, Rex."

With that, something broke inside of him. The restraint that he'd worked so hard to fortify fell away, and he gave up, reached for her, cupping her face and hoping his fingers weren't too cold against her skin because he couldn't hold himself back any longer. He tried to keep the kiss light and gentle, but the floodgates within him were down and all of his careful restraint was gone, so he kissed her like it was his last day alive.

Rex let go, and in doing so held her close.

She tasted like Bren, like the woman he loved, and she did not pull away. No, she returned the kiss with a passion that matched his own, and for its duration everything else fell away and they were simply _you and me _again. Rex's senses swam with Brenna, with her taste, her warmth and her scent, and when he felt her hands reach around the back of his head in an effort to be closer, relief was nearly his undoing.

When they parted to take a breath, he twined his hands in her hair and murmured her name, still half-terrified that he'd gone too far, but still unable to help himself. Everything he'd felt for her, every hope he'd had about the life they could share...they flooded his heart and overran his mind, and he knew he could not hold back any longer. She had to know; he had to tell her.

"I love you," he said in a voice that was too hoarse to be recognizable, and he pressed their foreheads together as if he could transfer his feelings to her through their skin. "Bren, I love you so much, and I miss you more than I can even say, and I'm sorry if this is the wrong thing to do right now, if it's too much too quickly, but I can't hold back any-"

"Rex." Her own voice was breathless and she clasped her hands to his cheeks; their breath mingled between them and her eyes were bright with something that was not firelight. "Stop talking and kiss me again. Please."

He did.

* * *

When Rex kissed her, the pieces of Brenna's memory did not fall back into place.

But it didn't matter.

In that moment, with his hands on her skin – a touch that had been absent for far too long – and his taste on her lips, she felt more _right _than she had since this entire ordeal had begun, and she didn't care that she couldn't remember much, because she had Rex and he had her, and in this moment, it was more than enough. It was everything.

She didn't want to breathe ever again because she never wanted to stop kissing him. Indeed, they parted for a brief gasp of air but she pulled him close again as soon as she could, because she couldn't get enough of his taste, his smell. These things were familiar in a way that went beyond memory, as if Rex's very essence was indelibly written on some part of her consciousness, so that the act of kissing him was like coming home.

But breathing, as it turned out, was a necessity, and just when Brenna felt herself growing a bit lightheaded, Rex pulled back so that they could both catch their breath, though their faces were still close. The campfire beside them tinted his eyes a rich gold, and his gaze on her was filled with love and longing as he held her so that their bodies were pressed close together while they remained seated.

Neither of them spoke for a moment, until he kissed her cheek once, gently. "Do you know how much I've missed you?"

The baritone resonance of his voice sent a shiver through her body, and she felt his arms slip down her back, settling above the curve of her hips. It was an intimate touch, one that was – she realized – wholly welcome. She felt like she belonged here. She felt loved.

Brenna leaned forward, shifting so that she was nearly in his lap, and rested her head against his shoulder while her left hand dropped to the front of his jacket, coming to rest at the place just above his heart, and she savored the way he smelled of leather and starlight. She inhaled, then looked up at him again. "I've missed you, too."

At her words, both of his eyes opened fully upon her, and again she was struck by their color, so like her daughter's: amber, rich and warm, and filled with love. There was only a brief pause before his head dropped and he pressed his lips to her jawline, as if he couldn't stand to be even more than a breath away from her right now.

As he did so, she remembered something. After pausing to remove her gloves, she skimmed her fingers across his jacket, over the place where his heart was sheltered. It was difficult to focus with him so close, with his hands caressing her hips and his mouth lightly kissing the sensitive skin of her neck above her scarf, but she managed.

"A scar," she murmured, the word causing him to grow still. "You have a scar, here. From-" She looked up at him in thought; the memories were faded and tor,n like a flag fraying in the wind, but the strength of his embrace and the overwhelming love in his gaze gave her a new kind of assurance. "From a sniper."

Rex's breath caught and he nodded, his brow creasing as he regarded her, as if he was not quite certain if this was real, as if any moment he'd wake up and this would all be a dream. "Yes."

As she studied him, Brenna lifted her hand and traced two invisible, triangle patterns on his forehead, above each eye. His eyes closed briefly beneath her touch, and she considered her words for one more moment before giving them voice. "You had markings on your helmet," she murmured, watching him as he looked at her. "In blue. They meant that you're brave, right?"

"Jaig eyes," he replied with a nod. "I got them on Kamino."

"I love you," she said, more to reassure him than herself, but she felt heartened by the words, anyway.

He slipped his right hand up to touch her cheek, his thumb grazing across her lips once before he kissed her gently. "Say it again?"

"I love you, Rex." Her voice was still strange, heavy with wonder. It didn't sound quite like her own, but that was okay. This was right.

Brenna reached for him again, because it even the few minutes that had passed since they'd last kissed were too long, and she needed to feel his mouth on hers once more. She whispered the words again, then kissed him as soundly as she could, delighting in the eagerness with which he returned the action, and for the first time in too long she was not afraid of the past or the future, because the present was everything she needed.

* * *

_This is one of those scenes I've had in my head since the beginning of this story. I'd love to know what you think!_

_Next time: More Rex/Bren fluff. You have _totally_ earned it. ;)_


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

When Brenna woke the next morning, the world was luminous.

The tent that surrounded her and Rex was well-insulated, but not quite opaque enough to prevent the sunlight from reaching through the material and casting it in a golden glow. Last night, beneath the moon and the stars, everything had been silvery-cool, but now Brenna was bathed in gilded beams of light.

Rex was curled behind her, holding her close to his bare chest; both of them were beneath layers of blankets and despite the chilly temperature of the air, she was actually very warm. Savoring the feel of his body against hers, she snuggled back into him a little bit more and smiled when he gave a drowsy, wordless murmur and pulled her even closer. Positioned as they were, she could feel the faint exhalation of his breath on her ear and the steady pulse of his heart from where his chest was pressed into her back.

She knew he was awake when he began kissing her, so she tilted her head around to look at him, still not quite daring to believe the moment was real. It was difficult to kiss him properly from this angle, so she twisted her body around so that she was fully facing him. The sunlight that filtered in through the tent was turning him gold as well, and as he was still blinking sleep out of his eyes he smiled at her.

"Good morning," she whispered.

"Yes, it is."

Her reply was lost in another kiss and she was filled with the same sense of _rightness _that she'd felt the previous night, because she wasn't alone, because she loved and was loved in return. The understanding gave her a foothold with which to find her balance, and the things that had been weighing so heavily upon her – while they didn't fall away – were easier to bear knowing that Rex was _here_.

After a few more minutes of idling, he pulled back a little and gave her an appraising look. "Are you...how are you?"

Something had changed last night. Something that had broken between them had been rebuilt, and she hoped that they were stronger now than they had been before. "I'm...happy," she replied, watching as he studied her. "Right now, I'm kind of in heaven, actually."

A shadow crossed his face, but it was fleeting. She thought that he was reluctant to say his next words, for it took him a moment to speak. "I'm happy, too. But...do you remember anything more? Aside from what we talked about, I mean."

She concentrated, but there were no new memories aside from the few she'd been able to call up through her conversation with Rex last night. The bulk of her memories had not returned and she tried not to be disappointed. "No, I don't."

There was a moment where she was worried she'd let him down, somehow, but he kissed her cheek tenderly and embraced her again. "We'll keep going, Bren. No matter what."

"Together?"

His embrace strengthened. "Together."

Brenna smiled, then pressed her cheek against his chest. They remained so for a few more minutes, watching as the light filtering in the tent grew brighter. If she listened carefully, she could hear the meadowlarks calling to the dawn, the sound underwritten with Rex's steady breathing.

She could feel the outline of his scars, most notably the one that was nearly right above his heart. A sniper, back in his army days...she repressed a shiver at the mental image of Rex falling in battle, and she was struck with the realization that their lives – life in general, she supposed – were so fragile, so fleeting. Anything could destroy what they'd worked hard to build. The hycosine's effects had nearly done so, and even now, in his arms, she wasn't completely sure they could rebuild what had been lost.

But one thing was certain. She had her daughter, she had Rex; she had everything. It was true last night and it was true now. This close, Brenna could feel the rhythmic cadence of his heartbeat.

_Together. _Ultimately, it was all that mattered.

Maybe they would never be able to return to what they'd once had, but she thought – she hoped – they could perhaps make something new, something stronger.

As she was turning her head up to him to try and voice some of this, he beat her to the punch.

"Brenna, I want to marry you," he said suddenly. The blankets shifted as he pulled back enough to regard her. His eyes still looked golden in the morning light entering the tent and his heartbeat was still so steady.

Her breath caught at the words even as something inside her heart unfurled. Maybe he mistook her lack of speech for reluctance, for he continued after a moment. "In a lot of ways, nothing's changed. I still can't offer you anything more than before. I can't promise you a long life together. I can't say that I won't grow old and die well before you, but that doesn't matter so much, any more. This-" His arms tightened around her again, then relaxed. "-is what matters to me. I know that I love you and Iri. I know that I want to spend however much longer I have with both of you."

Here he paused, like he was gathering the strength to say the next words. "And I want to have more children with you...if you want to, that is. If not, then that's fine as well." His gaze on her turned hopeful and slightly chagrined, and the expression made her heart swell with love for this man. "You wanted to marry me, before all of this, but I...I wasn't ready, I guess. And now...I know that a lot of things haven't changed, but _I'm_ different. I'm stronger; I can be the man you need me to be – the man I _want _to be-"

"Rex-"

Her voice was hushed; she didn't think he'd even heard her, because he continued speaking as if he simply couldn't stop himself. "I know it's probably selfish of me to even ask you something like this, when you're still healing, but I can't hold back any more. So...do you think that you'd still want to?"

When the stream of words stopped she was at a loss, so she only blinked at him. "Do I still want to marry you?"

As he nodded, his expression shifted to one of uncertainty, though hope remained as he waited. In her mind's eye she could see the gleam of the two silver rings she'd found tucked in her belongings, after her rescue from Arcas. It made sense, now. Before Arcas, before the hycosine, she'd wanted to marry him, but he hadn't wanted the same thing, or he hadn't been sure, or had any number of doubts; his comment about "growing old" reminded her that the clones' life-span had been unnaturally shortened, and she figured Rex had been reluctant to make a commitment to her and Iri based on that fact.

But he, like her, had seemed to come to a new understanding.

But was it enough? A part of her was still afraid to trust him, or her own, fractured mind, but it was a smaller part that was growing easier to ignore. Rex's arms around her helped, as did the unabashed affection that she could see in his eyes, matched as it was by uncertainty of her answer.

_I can't let fear control me any longer_, she thought, and took a deep breath. _I have to trust. _Brenna met his gaze and nodded. "I do."

* * *

At her words, Rex's heart skidded to a halt, then began to beat furiously as joy and relief warred within him. Brenna paused, then sat up, wrapping one of the blankets they shared around her waist.

"I want you, Rex," she added, as though heedless of the way he'd stopped breathing in order to better hear her answer above the thundering of his heart. "I want you to be Iri's father, and I want us to be a family. Everything else is just..." Her brow furrowed as she considered her words and he sat up too, slowly, still not quite daring to believe what he was hearing. "Extra," she finished. "Not as important."

"But your memories _are_ important," he replied, reaching for her hand. It was still warm in the tent, though he knew that outside the morning air would still be chilly. In here, though, it was as if they were in their own world.

She squeezed his hand back. Her hair was tousled and there were creases on her cheek from sleeping while pressed against a blanket. Rex could smell her on his skin. "I know they are," she said with a faint smile. "But if they don't come back...maybe it means I just have to make new ones. What matters is that I get to make them with you."

"Bren...you're sure?"

At this she exhaled as if in frustration and cast her eyes above their heads, where the sunlight was still streaming in through the canvas of the tent. When she looked back at him, her smile was wider. "Yes."

Force, he wanted this, but it was in his nature to be completely forthright, so he reached forward with his free hand and smoothed back a strand of her hair. "Bren...Nala Se can't cure the clones' rapid-aging," he said in a quiet voice. Her breath caught and her eyes widened, but he continued before she could reply. "But right now...well, it doesn't seem to matter to me as much as it did, because it's more important to spend what time I do have with the woman I love.

"You can say 'no,' and it won't change a thing," he added, ensuring that he was looking right into her eyes as he spoke. "Nothing – my aging included – changes how I feel about you or Iri. I need you to understand that, but I also need to know that you're coming into this with both eyes open, and not because I'm coercing you in any way, or because you just want things to be normal again."

"I want to marry you, Rex," she said very deliberately, lifting her chin but not breaking the gaze. "I want to be your wife, have your children, and be with you for as long as I can." Following this, she gave him a sardonic look that was a little sharper than the Bren he remembered, but was still wholly _her. _"I can say it all again, if you like."

How much happiness could one man contain and still be whole? Rex thought he would dissolve with joy, but he managed a light chuckle. "If I had my way, you'd never stop saying it."

Seemingly pleased with his answer, she grinned. "If I had _my_ way, I'd marry you right here and now."

Something that Fives had told him weeks and weeks ago clicked in his brain, and he ran his thumb across her knuckles in thought. "Really?" At her nod, he took a breath, then glanced at her again. "How much of Mandalorian tradition do you remember?"

"Not very much," she replied, giving him a curious look. "Why? Is there some special Mando engagement tradition that I'm not familiar with?"

"Actually..." Rex shifted so that he was sitting fully upright. He took both of her hands in his and laced their fingers together, watching her as she watched him. "Mandalorian culture is kind of the only heritage that we clones have," he explained. "It's the culture of our progenitor, Jango Fett, and many of us adopted its values and language once we learned more about it.

"Mandalorians live in the moment," he added, giving her hands a gentle squeeze. "They are warriors, above all else, and they recognize that life is fleeting and can end at any time, so they tend to make the most of the time they have."

His heart was beating strangely fast again, but it wasn't with nerves; it was that same, wild sense of joy and relief thrumming through his veins. "Bren, if I say a certain phrase in Mando'a and you repeat it back to me, we'll be married according to Mandalorian tradition."

Her brow arched. "That sounds...simple."

"Why waste time?" he replied with a half-smile. However, another thought occurred to him and he felt some of his hope fade. "But you probably want your family here. Well," he amended. "Not _here, _in this tent, but-"

But she was shaking her head. "We need to make some new memories," she said, and he felt her hands squeeze his. "Just the two of us. How does that phrase go?"

Rex took a deep breath, as much to calm himself as to clear his head and remember how the words went. Finally he cleared his throat and spoke. "_Mhi solus tome, mhi solus dar'tome, mhi med'dinui an, mhi bha'juri verde._"

Her mouth opened but no sound came out, so he translated the words for her. "It means, 'we are one when we are together; we are one when we are apart. We will share everything we have, and we will raise warriors.'"

The last word conjured an image of Iri, and Rex was filled with a new kind of resolve. No matter what, his daughter would grow up strong, if he had anything to say about it. He thought that Brenna had the same thought, for her mouth quirked into a smile, then she asked him to repeat the words, slower, so that she could get them right.

Finally she squared her shoulders, took a breath, and spoke. It was harder for her to shape the words than it'd been for him – and her accent was terrible – but the intention was true, which was all that mattered, really. Still, it took her a few tries to get the words right, until: "_Mhi solus tome, mhi solus dar'tome, mhi med'dinui an, mhi bha'juri verde. _Third time's a charm?"

Just a few words. It was so simple, really. It didn't change anything that had happened, but rather than feel despondent at the idea, the sense of rightness that Rex felt with Brenna only increased as he looked at her. He loved her, still. He'd never stopped, he never intended to stop. _My wife. _

Nothing had changed, but everything was somehow different, clearer. _This is how it feels,_ he thought as he stared at her. _This is how it feels to be whole. If I die tomorrow, it'd be worth it, just for this moment._

"Rex? Did I get it right, this time?"

"Yeah," he managed, feeling a huge grin coming on, the kind that was too big for his face. "You did."

She beamed at him, then took a breath. "So...what happens now?"

In response, Rex untangled the fingers of his left hand from hers, reached up and cupped her cheek, drawing her close to him for a kiss. "The rest of our lives."

* * *

_Shorter chapter today, but one of the most important in the story. (Also one of my favorites.) From here on out, the angst will be considerably less, though there's a little bit to come, as well as more adventure-y stuff. Oh, and more "plot" things will happen as well. :P _

_Wookieepedia provided the Mando'a marriage phrase and its translation. _

_Thank you for reading! I'd love to know your thoughts on this chapter. :)_

_Next time: returning home._


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

A few hours later, they returned to the house, hand in hand.

Despite the fact that they'd lingered a good while in the tent it was still relatively early, and Brenna thought that her family had decided to have an easy morning, for everyone – save Nala Se – was in the dining room, eating breakfast. When Brenna and Rex stepped through the door that led into the kitchen, her eyes fell on their daughter.

Iri was in her booster-seat, happily demolishing a plate of scrambled nuna eggs before her, but the minute all eyes turned to Rex and Brenna, the toddler gave a squeal of delight. "Mama! Daddy!"

Rex reached the little girl first, smiling as Iri said "Daddy" again and lifting her out of her seat so he could hug her; Brenna joined them and for a moment her world shrank to the two people beside her. She knew that the rest of their family was watching, but her only goal was to have her daughter in her arms again, because none of what had occurred between herself and Rex would be quite real until Iri was there, too. They were complete, the three of them.

"Good morning, sweetheart," she said as Rex passed her their daughter – after giving Iri a kiss on her forehead – and she savored the little girl's warmth.

"'Morning, Mama," Iri replied. There were bits of egg stuck to the front of her jumper, which Brenna swiped away with a brush of her fingers, then she looked up at Rex. He smiled at her, and she felt warm all over again. _We will share everything we have, and we will raise warriors._

A throat cleared behind them; when she turned, Brenna saw that everyone was watching the scene with varying degrees of amusement, though she also noted the looks of relief that were apparent on each of them. Fives spoke first. "I guess it's a good morning for you two, as well."

Marliss nudged his side but he only grinned at her. "What? Look at them!"

"You're right, Fives, they do look hungry," Jensine said from her place beside Iri's booster-seat, indicating two empty seats at the table, which had been set with plates and utensils. "Well? What are you waiting for? Food's not getting any warmer."

The food was warm and filling, and everyone's mood seemed to pick up exponentially once they realized that something had changed for the better between Rex and Brenna, though no one asked either of them about any specifics. That would most likely alter later on, but for now it seemed that the others were content to give them their space. As she listened to the chatter of the clones, Brenna shot a smile at Rex, one that he returned.

Earlier, while they'd been packing up the tent and the heat-lamps, they'd discussed telling their family about the latest development, but Brenna thought that she wanted their marriage to stay secret, for now. It was not because she didn't want anyone else to know, but rather because it was a new memory that she felt like she wanted to keep just between herself and Rex; this was something intimate that they could share and enjoy together, for a little while, anyway. It made her feel that much closer to him, and he to her, and she wanted to savor the feeling.

Besides, the minute Jensine found out that she'd missed the opportunity to throw a wedding...

Well, Brenna wasn't quite ready to face _that_ conversation.

Just as Brenna was attempting to get Iri to finish eating her eggs rather than play with them, Chopper glanced up at the doorway that led outside, his eyes tightening in a way that indicated he was uncertain of exactly how to react to what he was seeing. As the others followed his gaze, the door opened to reveal the slender form of Nala Se, standing at the edge of the threshold.

"Please forgive the interruption," she said before anyone could speak. "But I thought it best to begin making arrangements for my departure as soon as possible."

Coric frowned. "Departure? Is there something else that you need?"

"We can get it for you," Kix added, rising to his feet and approaching the Kaminoan. "Whatever you need...just say the word."

Nala Se blinked down at the medic, then looked at Rex. "You did not tell them."

Along with everyone else, Brenna glanced back at Rex and her husband inhaled deeply as he shook his head. Before he could speak, however, the Kaminoan continued, her voice smooth and unruffled as silk, as if she was unconcerned with the way the others' expressions grew increasingly startled with each word. "I have failed in my task. I require a compound that I cannot replicate, one for which there is no substitute, one that is – to my knowledge – only found on my home planet. Without it, there is no possibility that I can reverse your rapid-aging."

Here, the pitch of her voice wavered, indicating that she was not nearly as calm as she appeared. "If you give me the means to make a transmission, I will make arrangements for my departure at once."

Stunned silence filled the room as the Kaminoan turned and slipped back out the way she'd come, the old-style door clanging shut behind her. Finally, Rex spoke. "She told me last night. I know I should have let the rest of you know, but..."

He trailed off and glanced at Brenna, who reached for his hand with both of hers, trying to offer her support. Across from them, Fives sighed and crossed his arms as Marliss reached around to rub at his back. "It's okay, Rex," the former ARC said at last. "You have a pretty full plate."

"Besides, it's not like knowing a few hours later makes much of a difference," Jesse added, frowning. Kix and Coric said nothing, only seemed to grow very still and solemn, and Chopper picked at the food on his plate, his eyes fixed on the table. The adult, non-clones were looking at one another, clearly at a loss.

Finally, Marliss took a deep breath; when she spoke, the words were clearly directed at Fives, but everyone seemed to listen. "We knew it was a long-shot, love," she said, touching his chin and pulling his gaze towards her. "But it doesn't change anything for me."

"Me either," Brenna added with another look at Rex, who gave her a faint smile. "However long we have...I just want to spend it with you."

_My husband, _she thought, smiling at their for-now secret. As if he'd caught on to her thought, he dipped his head once in a nod and his free hand reached up to cover both of hers. The warmth of his skin reassured her like nothing else, and she felt her smile widen.

Beyond Rex, she saw something warm and hopeful in her brother's eyes, though Caith remained silent while Edme ducked her head and spoke to Tavi. Brenna was reminded of how helpful they'd been with Iri – not just recently – so she decided that they should be repaid for their kindness, at least a little bit. It had been wonderful for her and Rex to spend some time just the two of them, and she thought that her brother and his wife would probably appreciate the same opportunity.

Before Brenna could voice any of this, Jensine cleared her throat, causing everyone to glance her way. "Someone should go tell that long-neck that no one's kicking her out. She doesn't have to leave if she doesn't want to," she said with a nod towards the door. "Which goes for the rest of you as well. You boys are part of the family, now, and this is your home for as long as you want it to be."

* * *

Rex watched the expressions on his brothers' faces as Jensine spoke, and he could tell that her words had struck true. Even though he knew it was different for him, since he "belonged" here by virtue of his relationship with Brenna, it touched him beyond measure to know that his brothers were welcome to the same degree. The clones had settled in to life on Alderaan quite well, and he was pleased to know that it looked like a trend that would continue.

_Home. _They belonged here. _He _belonged here, too, and despite the grim reality of Nala Se's news, Rex felt a swell of happiness at the notion of home, not to mention the memories of this morning...and last night.

The others resumed speaking as they finished breakfast, but Rex cast a look at the woman beside him and watched as she shot him a smile. He smiled back and squeezed her hands with both of his._ My wife. _

Although there were a number of chores that he'd planned on doing today, everything had changed now, and he didn't want to do anything but spend time with Brenna and Iri. With that thought, he leaned close to Bren and spoke in her ear. "It looks like a nice day outside...would you like to take a walk with me and _Iri'ka_, after breakfast?"

"Sounds wonderful," she replied, her voice soft and her eyes alight with a happiness that he thought was equal to his own. "But would you mind if Tav comes along? I'd like to give Caith and Edme a chance to..."

Rex lifted a brow and chuckled to himself as she grimaced at the mental image that had undoubtedly entered her brain. "...spend some time just the two of them," she finished quickly. "You know, playing sabacc or something."

"Sabacc," Rex said with a solemn nod. "Of course. Sure, Tav's welcome with us."

After breakfast, when everyone was clearing the table and he was trying to clean most of Iri's breakfast off of her, he watched as Brenna approached her brother, pulling him to one side and speaking quietly. "I just wanted to thank you," she said amidst the backdrop of clinking plates and the sound of running water. "You and Edme...you've both been a huge help to me and Rex, and I don't know that we can ever repay you."

Caith's eyes flicked to Rex but the bulk of his gaze remained on his sister. "You're family," he said with a faint shake of his head. "All of you. There's no need to repay us, Bren."

"Maybe," Brenna replied, the tone of her voice indicating she was fighting back a smile. "Look...Rex, Iri and I are going to go on a walk for a few hours. Do you think that Tav might want to come?"

Looking back down at his daughter, Rex sighed. For Force's sake, Iri had somehow managed to get bits of egg in her _socks_. Rex gave the toddler a stern look even as she blinked up at him innocently. "You are messy, _Iri'ka_."

"Iri love Daddy," she cooed in reply, and her smile widened.

He sighed again as Brenna continued speaking to her brother. "It's just that Rex and I had a chance to talk this morning, on our own, and it was..."

Her cheeks flushed and Rex had to chuckle even though both Bren and Caith looked a bit uncomfortable. Deciding to spare the siblings any more awkwardness, the former captain cleared his throat as he lifted Iri out of her booster-seat. "It was nice to spend some time just the two of us," he said, tugging off the little girl's socks and watching as bits of scrambled nuna-egg fell to the floor. "Very nice. So we thought we'd try to repay you and Edme a little bit and take Tav for a few hours. If you want."

At the words, Caith looked thoughtful, then glanced behind him at Edme, who met his eyes and lifted a copper-colored brow even as their son sat up and began pleading with her to let him go with his aunt and Rex. "C'mon, Mom! Say yes! Dad...?"

"Sounds like he's on board," Brenna's brother said with a laugh, then he nodded back to Rex and Brenna, his eyes softening once he looked at his sister. "I think we'll take you up on that. Thanks."

Within the hour, Rex, Brenna, Irini and Tav were making their way along one of the gravel pathways that wound from the main house towards sloped, rolling pastures. The mountains rested beyond, their peaks gleaming with the snow that Rex had heard would reach the lowlands within a manner of weeks, when winter fell in earnest on this part of Alderaan.

It was one of those days where the cloudless blue dome of the sky seemed even more vibrant because of the chill that was in the air, and the sun was warm on Rex's back as he walked beside Bren. Iri was between them, one of her hands in each of theirs, intermittently urging both of her parents to hoist her up in the air while Tav meandered ahead, pausing every few steps to survey the area through a pair or electrobinoculars that Rex had provided.

Aside from the occasional shriek of delight from Iri and the whistle of wind against Rex's jacket, it was quiet. An inhale brought him the clean scent of the air; the wind that gusted around them seemed to sweep away the last remnants of the sorrow that had clung to him for far too long, and again he felt content, in spite of everything.

In some respects it was a strange feeling, because – as he'd told Brenna that morning – in so many ways, nothing had changed. His and his brothers' rapid-aging had not been corrected; Bren's memory was not returning as quickly as he'd hoped – if it ever would completely – and he still didn't have any clue if he was doing what he should be doing as a parent, let alone a husband.

But none of that mattered so much any more when he was with Bren and Iri, and the rest of those he'd come to call _family_. The idea struck him life itself was a learning process; well, if that was the case, he intended to learn as much as he could, in the time he had to do so.

"Up! Up!" Iri's voice broke him out of his reverie, and after casting Brenna a wry look, Rex tightened the muscles of his arm and hoisted his daughter so that her boots were dangling well off the gravel path. Bren did the same, and Irini let out a squeal of delight that made Rex chuckle. Beyond them, Tavi had paused in his survey of the sky to watch Iri's antics, and Rex recognized the hopeful look on the boy's face.

When they set Iri back down, the toddler peered up between her parents, beaming. "Again?"

"How about Tav gets a turn?" Rex replied, nodding to the brown-haired boy, whose eyes lit up at the mention of his name. Iri pouted, but it was only for a moment, because in the next, Rex scooped her up and placed her on his shoulders, holding her steady with his free hand while he took Tavi's with the other. The boy handed Bren the electros, and soon Tavi was between Rex and Brenna, urging them to lift him up as high as possible.

Tav was a bit heavier than Irini, but not by much, and Rex had to chuckle at the boy's whoops of delight at being lifted off the ground. "Again," he shouted, tugging at Rex's hand the moment he was earthbound. "But higher this time. Please?"

Rex and Brenna obliged. As he lifted, Rex caught Brenna's eyes and felt something stir within him, something he'd felt many times before in her presence: _longing. _He wanted _this, _what was between them now, but _more_ as well. Perhaps some time ago he would have been ashamed at the feeling, but now he recognized it as a natural inclination, a desire to continue what they already had.

They continued walking for several minutes. When the wind blew, he watched as strands of Bren's hair were tugged free of the elastic she'd used to gather it. As Bren lifted her hand free of Tavi's and began to collect it back into the holder, he felt Iri's body turn on his shoulders as she took in the scenery, and he ensured that his grip on her was still secure.

"You look like you have something on your mind," Brenna said once she'd finished and taken her nephew's hand again. Her voice was quiet but still managed to reach him through the wind.

He inhaled and tasted wind and sunlight, then smiled at her. "Sometimes I can't believe it's real."

"What?"

"This life," he said, nodding at nothing in particular. "You. Iri."

Brenna smiled at him. "I'm real, Rex. I can prove it, if you like."

This was said with an accompanying lift of her brow, and he chuckled. Tav tugged at his hand again, and as Rex and Brenna hefted the boy, Rex looked back at his wife. "Usually, though, it feels like this is the only thing that's real, and everything that happened before I came to Alderaan was the dream. Like when I came here...I woke up."

He paused, then took a breath and looked at the sky. "I don't think I ever told you about the time I met a clone named Cut Lawquane."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her shrug. "Maybe," she replied. "I don't know, I guess. The name doesn't sound familiar." There was a question in her voice and he looked back her way. "He had a surname? How?"

Rex squinted up at the sunlight. "He was a deserter."

Silence. He waited a moment then continued. "It was when the sniper gave me that one scar on my chest, actually. Jesse, Kix and Hardcase needed to leave me in safekeeping for the night; they found a small farm not far from where it happened, and convinced the owner to let me stay the night. Turns out the owner of the farm – a Twi'lek woman – was married to a brother. Cut."

"Cut Lawquane," Brenna said, adjusting the strap of the electrobinoculars across her shoulder with her free hand. "He was a farmer?"

"Yeah. Farming seemed to agree with him," Rex replied, smiling at the memory. "I can understand why, now. At the time I thought..." His smile faded as he remembered his former self, the man who'd been startled to learn what _more _there was to fight for than a set of ideals, however powerful they might have been. "My first thought was that he was a coward who'd abandoned his post."

Brenna nodded, but said nothing as Tavi – bored with the conversation – urged the adults to hoist him up again. When they brought him back down, Rex continued. "By the time I left Saleucami...everything was different. Well," he amended, shooting Brenna a half-smile. "It's probably more accurate to say that everything was the same, but _I _was different. And it wasn't just because Cut said a lot of stuff about freedom and choices – though it was damn insightful, especially to me, _especially _back then – but rather because I-"

He broke off as Iri gave a shriek of excitement about something and began to kick her heels against his chest; he glanced around to see what had gotten his daughter so worked up, but didn't see anything, and after a moment, Rex looked back at his wife and continued. "That was the first time anyone had ever shown me an alternative to the life I'd been assigned. Cut had a wife and two children – adopted," he added as Brenna's eyes widened. "They were Suu's when he met her, I guess. Anyway, he loved them like his own, and when I watched him, watched all of them together, as a family..."

A sigh escaped him; it sounded far more maudlin than he felt, but it conveyed something of his feelings at the time. Brenna's reply was soft. "You wanted what he had."

"Force help me, I did," Rex admitted, his boots scuffing at the gravel as he walked. "I really did. But back then...it was only a dream, a fantasy. My life – my path – was laid out before me, and I knew that nothing I could do would ever change my fate. And it...hurt, to think that. So I didn't. I told myself that it was an impossibility, so it would be better for me, and for those who relied on me, not to dwell on something so distracting. I tried to channel that _want_ into something else, something I thought was useful: a desire to protect those who had what I didn't. I thought, if I could fight to keep them safe, it would be enough.

"I never really talked about Cut," he added after taking a breath. "Because after a while, I got so used to _not _thinking about Saleucami if I could help it. Later on, after you and I became...serious, it occurred to me that such a thing would be possible with you and Iri, but I still didn't want to think about it because in my mind, there was no way it would have worked out, no matter how badly I might have wanted it to. And it very nearly didn't."

At this, she exhaled and nodded; they'd spent a bit of time during the past few weeks going over Order 66, so that now he knew that she remembered most of those few, harrowing days. "I'm glad it did," she said at last, her brown eyes warm on him. "We're lucky."

"I think so, too," he replied with a nod, his hand tightening on Iri's legs. "In a lot of ways, having you and Iri helped me get through all of that, because I had a home to make it to. I had my girls waiting for me."

A thrill of satisfaction moved through him when Brenna chuckled, and a moment later he continued. "Now I think I understand what Cut was trying to tell me, back then. When I was talking to him, I remember being so filled with conviction that remaining in the army was the right choice – the _only _choice – because I was part of something larger, fighting a war against evil and protecting future generations from something terrible. Now, I still think that those convictions are noble, but in the end, they're not real, especially not when I have a family to live for."

"A family," Brenna repeated, blinking rapidly as she regarded him, his words having apparently made her pause her steps. "Rex..."

She said his name, but trailed off, so after a moment he spoke again, watching how the sunlight cast thousands of tiny, glimmering rainbows in her hair. "I meant what I said this morning, Bren. About our family. About making it...bigger."

At this, he nodded to Tavi; the boy was opening his mouth, probably to ask to be hoisted up again, so Rex and Brenna obliged, though he could see that his wife's mind was working over his words.

"This is nice, isn't it?" he heard himself adding as they set Tav back against the gravel. Iri on his shoulders was warm and familiar, and it was strange to him to think that he'd once been reluctant to hold her so. "Both of them, and us. It feels...right."

Brenna blinked, her eyes flickering from Iri to Tav and back to him, and Rex felt himself grow tense while he waited for her to reply. When she did not immediately do so, he swallowed his disappointment and opened his mouth to speak, but she gave a swift shake of her head, effectively silencing him. "Rex, I feel like I just got you back," she said slowly. "It would probably be wise to wait a bit longer until we make our family...bigger."

"Daddy! Look!" Iri was shrieking again, and Tav was tugging at his hand, but Rex hardly heard either of them as he watched Brenna toying with the electrobinoculars with her free hand.

"It's okay," he replied, nodding once, when her eyes lifted to his. "I meant that, too. As long as we have each other and Iri, we have everything."

But she shook her head, and he saw she was smiling. "It would be wise to wait," she said slowly, in a manner that made his breath catch. "But-"

"_Daddy_," Iri said, slapping her palms against Rex's head as if trying to get his attention. "_Look_!"

"Aunt Bren, _look_!" Tav added simultaneously, which was when both Rex and Brenna turned to see what had caught the kids' attentions.

A pair of wild thrantas had appeared in the sky, soaring towards the mountains on wide, leathery wings. The reptavians looked like no creatures Rex had ever seen: a mottled, grayish-brown color that somehow seemed bright against the blue sky, and even from this distance he could tell that they were impossibly large; sleek-bodied and graceful, they made their meandering way across the horizon, apparently not in much of a hurry.

"Wow," Tavi said, his hand falling from Rex's as he shaded his eyes to better see the thrantas.

"Wow is right, kiddo," Rex replied. Beside him, Bren lifted the electrobinoculars to her eyes and surveyed the creatures. After a moment, she slipped the strap from her shoulder and handed the electros to Rex, who peered through them, eager to get a better look, and as he did so, he gave a low whistle of amazement at their grace; even from this distance, he could tell that they were bigger than he'd first realized, and very powerful. "Balana thrantas, right?"

Brenna nodded. "I think so, though to be honest, they all look similar to me."

"Let me see," Tavi asked, tugging at Rex's sleeve.

As he offered the electros to Tav, Iri rested her cheek on the top of Rex's head, so that he could feel her jaw moving as she spoke. "Faan-taas?"

"_Thr_antas," Brenna corrected as she came to stand beside Rex. She slipped her arm around his waist, as he did hers, and for a few moments the four of them watched the thrantas make their way towards the mountains, gliding on currents of air as if they were made of it. "They're so beautiful."

It was good to be close to her again, so Rex didn't bother to suppress his urge to kiss her cheek, even though Iri made a noise of protest when he turned away from the thrantas even for an instant. He sighed and looked back towards the wild creatures, though the bulk of his attention was now on his wife, and he kept trying to glance at her out of the corner of his eye.

In response, Brenna took a deep breath and leaned over to speak in his ear. "It _would_ be wise to wait to make our family bigger," she murmured again while he faced the distant thrantas without seeing them. "But I also don't feel like waiting, any more."

Caith's advice from several months ago came back to him: _It's so much worse to sacrifice what you have now for what might be, one day._

"Neither do I," he replied as his heart-rate was kicked into a higher gear with her words. It was too much to hope for, too much to ask for, now. He had everything; he shouldn't long for more, but he did. Iri squirmed against his neck, her heels bouncing into his chest as she exclaimed over the thrantas, but all of Rex's attention was on his wife's words. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

Her lips were so close to his ear, he felt rather than saw her smile. "I'm saying that maybe we can just...stop taking precautions and see what happens."

Now he had to look at her, regardless of Iri's protests. "You're sure?"

Force help him, she was grinning and he could do nothing but return the look when she said, _yes._

* * *

_The thranta sighting here is an echo of a moment in _The Fighting Kind_, when Rex is studying a painting in Brenna's cabin; a lot of this story is meant to echo or mirror parts of TFK, including bits of dialog and moments like these. :) The two fics are supposed to compliment each other in many ways._

_Thanks for reading! :)_

_Next time: "Am I having a flashback, or are we about to be in a briefing?"_

___Not-so-shameless plug: I'm writing a novel! :D If you're curious about it, check out my Fictionpress account. (The link is on my author page.) _


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

_One week later..._

It was just after lunch, and Brenna was working in the section of the upstairs bedroom that she'd turned into her office. She'd managed to find a few freelance jobs that she could do from home, and was busying herself with analyzing rows of security codesfor AlderaTech, a planet-based business, searching for weak points where a savvy criminal might try to take advantage of. She was also trying not to think too hard about Arcas.

Sometimes it was difficult to manage, but not right now, in part because she was listening to Rex and Iri. They were seated cross-legged on the bed that Brenna had been only too happy to share with Rex again, and he was reading to the toddler, pausing every so often as he asked Iri to try and read a word or two along with him.

They were reading a holo-book that Edme had given the toddler; apparently it was one of Iri's favorites, and although the toddler said the words slowly, as if she were uncertain, Brenna felt a thrill of satisfaction whenever their daughter managed to get a word right. "But...my...oh-thar...oh-thar...hon...hon...honee. .."

The little girl sighed and trailed off. However, Brenna smiled as she heard the pride laced in Rex's reply. "Good, Iri, very good. It goes like this: _But my other honey bee is stuck where he doesn't want to be. _Poor guy."

"Sad bee," Iri agreed, the words followed by a soft beeping sound that indicated the toddler was activating the next image of the story.

There was a beat, during which Brenna found herself getting lost in a particularly messy series of security codes that would most certainly need to be cleaned up, then she heard her husband continue. _"Oh, my darling honey bee, I'll come save you, even if it means I'll have to face the queen. _Can you say that last word, _Iri'ka_?"

"Kweeen."

Rex chuckled and there was a soft sound that Brenna thought meant he was tousling Iri's hair. "That's my girl."

He continued reading, but the words of the holo had caused Brenna's mind to jump from her task to something else entirely, and within moments she found herself scanning through what passed for the Empire's version of the HoloNet, searching for mentions of Kamino. The HoloNet of old had been mostly defunct, with its new purpose being an essentially military-only tool for communication, one that ordinary civilians weren't supposed to be able to access. But Bren was no ordinary civilian and she had little respect for the Empire's wishes.

_There_. Her eyes narrowed as she located the name of the stormy planet, and within a few moments she was slicing away, figuring out what information she could access; information was a weapon, after all, and a potent one at that, and an idea – a wild, crazy idea – had been seeded in her mind. As Rex and Iri continued to read the honey bee holo, Brenna allowed herself to get lost in her work.

She knew from their conversations that she had managed to help Fives and Tucker infiltrate a Republic prison and extract Rex, Jesse and Coric in the aftermath of Order 66. However, while none of them had known exactly _how _she'd managed to slice in to the RJC and distort their comm-channels, she did. Slicing, as she was learning, was practically ingrained in her body, and even if her conscious memory didn't recall the exact steps that were involved with infiltrating a government database like the one for the RJC, her body knew what to do.

It was comforting, familiar, especially now when so many things still felt strange to her at times. Although Brenna was working to restore her memory, she figured that there was still much she couldn't recall; no matter how much the others told her, hoping to remind her, she thought that there were still pieces of her life that would be missing for a good, long while, if not forever.

But this she could still do, and she realized that she very much _wanted _to apply her skills to something useful, something for the greater good. Perhaps, she mused, it would be a way to balance out the crimes she'd unwittingly committed under Arcas' influence. So, it was a relatively simple task for her to slice into the Imperial database in order to extract information on the planet Kamino.

"_So, I'll come prepared," _Rex read, his voice calm and vaguely amused as Irini hummed a wordless tune along with the story, creating a pleasant backdrop to Brenna's work. _"My new friends say will help me get my loved one back."_

Kamino was firmly under Imperial control, there was no question of that. What was interesting was that there appeared to be nothing in the way of a blockade, as had apparently been the case during the days of the War. Getting to the planet would not be as difficult as she'd feared; landing might be another story...not to mention infiltrating the place where whatever Nala Se needed was located.

_Difficult, but hopefully not impossible. _She sat up and blinked a few times, then twisted in her chair to regard her family. At the motion, Rex glanced up and met her eyes, while Iri's brows were knitted over the projected words of the holo.

"Pree...pree...pa..." Iri paused and looked up at Rex. "What word, Daddy?"

"Prepared," he replied without looking, as his gaze was still on Brenna and growing decidedly curious.

In response, she slid her chair back and stood up, stretching out her arms before stepping over to the bed to join them. It was good to recline for a moment, as her back had been starting to ache after being seated all day, so she laid back and watched her husband and daughter, the former of whom _knew _something was on her mind but was trying to be patient, because whatever it was didn't appear to be something that Brenna wanted to discuss in front of Iri.

The Force must have been with them, because in the next moment Iri glanced up at Brenna. "Iri go potty," she said with conviction, then she slid off the bed and made her way out the door, to the adjacent 'fresher.

Once the door had closed, Brenna shot her husband a look of approval as he moved to lie beside her on the bed. "We're so lucky, you know. Ed told me that Tav wasn't potty-trained until he was nearly four."

Rex's mouth twitched with a smile, but his gaze on her was pure business. "You looked busy over there," he said with a nod to her workstation. "Find anything interesting at AlderaTech?"

"Not really," she replied, reaching out to put a hand on his waist so that she could pull him closer, and feeling a thrill of happiness as he complied. "But I did learn something about Kamino."

His body stilled and his eyes widened a fraction as she continued. "It's probably a long-shot, but do you think if we could _get _to Kamino we could find whatever it is that Nala Se needs to finish the rapid-aging cure?"

"That's a lot of 'ifs,'" he said, though she could see that his mind was already working the idea over. "_If_ we could get there, _if_ we could get in, _if_ we could find what she needs, _if_ we could get out and come back..."

"I think I could help," she broke in, shifting so that her head was resting on her upturned hand, while her other hand toyed with his shirt. From behind the 'fresher door, they heard a flushing sound, so she added: "I _know_ I could, at least with the getting in part."

Rex frowned, but it was not in disapproval; rather, it was the expression of someone in deep thought, through when the 'fresher door opened and Iri stepped out, his features smoothed into a smile as he watched their daughter approach the bed again. As she clambered up to join her parents, he exhaled and shot Brenna a thoughtful look. "I think we need to speak to the others."

* * *

As it happened, it was not until later that evening when everyone could be together again, once the kids had been put to bed. Kix brought Nala Se into the dining room, where Brenna and the others were seated, waiting. The moment that the Kaminoan entered the room, all eyes fell to Rex, who'd taken over the bulk of the organization for this task and was currently standing at the head of the dining table, several datapads and a hand-held holo-projector resting before him.

"Thanks for coming," he said with a nod to Nala Se, whose head dipped once in acknowledgment before she stood to one side, her hands folded before her. "That goes for all of you."

From his place between Chopper and Marliss, Fives gave a snort of amusement and nudged the scarred clone's side. "Am I having a flashback, or are we about to be in a briefing?"

"He certainly _looks_ like he's about to start barking orders, doesn't he?" Jesse added with a chuckle, though Kix shushed the tattooed clone. Brenna glanced at her family, noting how they appeared interested, but slightly apprehensive as well.

Rex spared a moment to raise his brow at Jesse, then cleared his throat. "As you all should be aware, Nala Se has reached an impasse in her work to find a cure for the clones' rapid-aging. By her own estimation, she has need of a...substance that is only available on Kamino." He glanced at the Kaminoan as if in confirmation; she nodded and he continued. "After a bit of research and some slicing on Bren's part, we've determined that it may be possible for a small team to infiltrate the planet, acquire this missing component, and return to Alderaan."

Following this, silence hit the room like a thermal det, and Brenna glanced around her to gauge the others' reactions to the statement. Jensine was nodding, a hand on her chin and her expression thoughtful; Caith and Edme looked dubious, but interested; Marliss wore a strange sort of smile which seemed to indicate that she was already on-board with the idea. Nala Se did little more than tilt her head, though Brenna could see the gray of her eyes swirling as if she was agitated.

As for the clones...

"Infiltrate _Kamino_?" Jesse said, his mouth hanging open. "Are you serious? And here I thought _you_ were the sensible one, Rex!"

"There was a pretty substantial blockade there during the War," Coric added as he drummed his fingers on the table, his expression skeptical. "How in the void could we hope to get past something like that?"

Rex reached for the holo-projector and activated it, so that a display of Kamino was rotating slowly before them. "Bren managed to get a hold of some intel on that subject," he said as he shot her a nod. "And from what we can tell, there's no blockade of the planet at this time."

"The Empire still has cloning facilities, but they're not solely located on Kamino any longer," Brenna added. "It looks like they're eventually planning to wind down the Fett cloning program, though they're still using the clones that were left there for the Imperial Army."

"Okay, but getting _to _a planet and getting _on _a planet are two very different things," Fives replied, his tone all business even though his knee had started to bounce with excitement. "I mean, Mar and I have a ship, but how would we physically get into...where is this stuff? Tipoca City?"

This was directed at Nala Se, who blinked once and nodded. "Correct. I know the exact location of the compound that I require. In theory, I could guide you to it, though I myself cannot return to Kamino's surface."

"So we'll need a secure comm-channel," Brenna mused, leaning back in her chair. "Should be manageable." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her mother give her a look that was filled with something she identified as pride, and she felt herself smile, just a little bit.

Kix cleared his throat, drawing all eyes his way. "Assuming we can reach Kamino and get into the city...how are we going to get to where we need to go? It's not like the lot of us can just walk up to the labs or wherever and knock on the door."

"Unless...unless we can get a hold of some stormtrooper armor..." Fives mused, his eyes lighting up and his hand going to his goatee in thought. "The shinier, the better. There's still got to be _thousands_ of clones there; who'd notice a few more?"

Jesse gave a bark of laughter. "The one place we blend in as a group. Funny how that works out, isn't it?"

There was an answering chortle at this, and the clones immediately burst into a cacophony of planning and speculation, all semblance of order having fled in the wake of their excitement. Even Rex was listening avidly, offering comments of his own as he leaned forward, hands braced on the table and eyes alight.

"There is another issue," Nala Se said suddenly, her lilting voice quiet, but causing the clones to pause their talk and regard her. She waited a beat, then continued. "The location of the compound I require is a heavily secured lab in the lower sections. I once had the proper clearance to access it, but that was taken away when I was banished from my homeworld."

Brenna toyed with the hem of her shirt as she spoke. "So we'll need to slice into a security panel and get access to that room." Nala Se nodded, and Brenna pursed her lips in thought. "It would have to be from on-planet; something that delicate would be too difficult to handle remotely."

At her words, all of the excitement faded from Rex's eyes as he looked at her, his head shaking before she'd even finished speaking. "No civilians on this mission, Bren."

"Rex-"

"That's an order," he added as if on instinct, but it was her turn to shake her head.

"You can't order me to do anything," she replied. "And I love you, but you have no idea what you'll be dealing with as far as security goes. But I think – I _know_ – I can handle it, especially with all the new equipment I have."

As she said the words, she was flooded with conviction, the kind she'd not felt in...well, she didn't know exactly how long, but she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that this was the right course of action. _I can do something real,_ she thought, watching her husband struggling with his conflicting desires of keeping her safe and helping his brothers. _I can help him, help all of them, and do something other than sit back and feel helpless. _

The worst part would be leaving Iri behind, but she'd done so before, back when she worked on the _Resolute, _and she had the utmost faith in those around her to not only ensure that their "mission" was a success, but that her daughter would be safe in the interim. It would be a gamble, but the stakes were too high to risk _not _attempting.

"I'm going to have to agree with Rex," Caith said suddenly, crossing his arms and giving Brenna a worried look. "Bren...this all sounds incredibly dangerous. The guys are trained to handle this sort of thing, but you're _not_."

Marliss sat up and regarded Caith coolly. "Well, I'm going, and _I'm _a civilian. What?" she added as Fives shot her a startled look. "Of course I'm going. I'm a _much_ better pilot than you, ARC-boy."

Caith frowned at her, but it was Kix who spoke next. "If she was piloting, Marliss would – I imagine – remain on the ship for the bulk of the mission. But Brenna would need to actually move through Tipoca City, somehow."

"Too bad you can't wear clone armor, Bren," Jesse said with an exhale. "That'd make things a bit easier."

"Why can't she wear it?" Marliss replied, which immediately caused everyone to look at Brenna as if studying her closely.

Jesse actually flushed, then coughed into his hand as he spoke, seeming to want to look anywhere but at Brenna – or Rex, for that matter. "Well, for one thing, Bren's got a bit _more_ in the...erm, chest-area than us clones..."

"Breasts can be bound," Edme said suddenly, ignoring the glares from Rex and Caith. Jensine looked torn between amusement and concern as Edme continued. "And I imagine we'd need to do something with your hair, too," she added with an appraising look at Brenna. "It might not be comfortable to get you in a set of armor, but I think it's doable."

Kix also looked uncomfortable, but was clearly trying to work through the feeling in order to concentrate on the mission. "Yes, but even with those...precautions, you still don't _look_ like a clone, Brenna. You'd need to keep your helmet on the entire time, and not speak-"

"-And you're not as tall as a clone," Coric added. "That might be a problem, especially if you're traveling with a group of us. The fact that you look even a little different will be even more noticeable."

"It doesn't have to be comfortable," Brenna replied as excitement began to rush through her at the prospect. "As for my height..." She trailed off as she frowned, thinking.

Before she could say anything further, Rex spoke up. "None of this matters, because the _entire_ idea is ridiculous. We've gotten completely off-track from the original plan."

But Brenna could tell that the others had already latched on to the idea and that her husband would very likely be outvoted, should the decision come to that. Indeed, Jesse seemed not to be listening to the former captain at all as he speculated. "How would we even _get _armor in the first place?"

Fives waved a hand, unconcerned. "I think I've got that covered...just need to make a quick comm to Mandalore. Mar and I have some buddies there who can help. Probably."

Following this, the others continued to debate and plan while Rex took a seat in silence, lines of tension clearly discernible on his face as he listened to his brothers. After a moment, Brenna leaned forward and spoke to him as if it were just the two of them in the room. "We both know that no one else can do this," she said quietly, watching as he met her eyes. "Remember when you and Fives told me about Ithor? You made it sound like that mission would have failed if not for me."

They'd discussed the long-ago mission with her, and although she didn't remember exactly how it had all gone, a few things had come back to her: among them the sound of blaster-fire and Rex's voice in the darkness. She also remembered being terrified, but now, compared to what she'd experienced since, that feeling seemed insignificant.

Rex's shoulders sank a little bit, which was when she knew he would eventually acquiesce, even though his next words were stubborn. "This is different. We're not at war any longer."

"No, we're not," she agreed. "But there's still so much at stake."

His breath caught; a beat later, his eyes closed but he said nothing.

"Rex." Brenna touched his arm, causing him to look at her while the others talked around them, having apparently decided to give the couple a little bit of privacy. "You know this is our best option."

A frown creased his features before he exhaled through his nose, but he put his hand over hers and squeezed. "That doesn't mean I have to like it."

* * *

_So I know that a woman wearing clone armor might seem like a stretch, but I think/hope it's handled well-enough to be plausible. I have a friend who's involved with the Mandalorian Mercs, so I've learned a bit about some of the practical concerns that women have to deal with when wearing armor. More on that in future chapters. :)_

_Thank you for reading! _

_Next time: Rex has a decision to make, and it _might_ cause some controversy. _


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

Rex rarely found himself missing the "old days," but right now he would have given pretty much anything to be able to shout at the other clones and have them snap to attention and follow his orders without question. While he was glad that his brothers had found their independence, it was nothing short of infuriating to be overruled in this fashion, especially when so much was at stake. As he gave Bren's hand another squeeze he tried to find his sense of battle-calm again, because it was looking like he'd need it.

From a purely logical standpoint, the armor idea was actually pretty clever. It wasn't fool-proof, but it sounded like something that Skywalker and Ahsoka would have come up with back in the day, and the tactical portion of his brain had already worked through the mechanics of getting Bren into a set of armor, getting her acclimated to moving around while wearing the kit. He thought that her height difference could be explained away by any number of factors – maturity being the most likely – and while she was certainly very _feminine_ in form, she was slender enough so that the armor would not look totally out of place.

But he still didn't want her to go.

He knew that _this_ was not a logical feeling. Rex was not stupid; he understood that his desire to keep the woman he loved from harm despite her being the perfect candidate for this mission was by no means practical. The soldier in him thought that the idea could work, with a little ingenuity and a lot of luck. The rest of him was working very hard to fight back the sheer, utter terror that she would be harmed – or worse – and it was not all because he knew that this mission would likely be dangerous.

It was because when she'd told him what they both knew, that there was too much at stake, he'd realized that _he_ couldn't go with _her_.

_Iri. _

If he did go with Bren, if the worst happened and the team didn't come back from this mission, Irini would not have either of them, and that was a risk that Rex was unwilling to take. As much as he wanted to stay by Bren's side, he knew beyond any doubt that he would not risk making his daughter an orphan. Even though he knew that Caith, Edme and Jensine would step up to the challenge of raising her, that wasn't the point.

Right now, there was _nothing_ more important to him than his daughter's happiness and well-being. Iri was _his _child, and there was no force in the galaxy that would be able to harm her while he could still draw a breath.

But still.

His eyes fell on his wife – his _wife _– again, and he could see the agitation in her gaze. "I don't have to like it," he said again, still quietly. "But I understand it's the only way."

Brenna's features relaxed and she nodded, though he could see that she wasn't quite convinced by his words of assent. Around them, the others were still planning, debating, discussing, but Rex felt like time had slowed. He took another breath. "But we have to think about Iri."

"She'll stay here," Brenna replied immediately, her forehead creasing.

Rex nodded. "I know. I'll stay with her." At his words, Brenna's eyes widened a bit, so he continued, forcing his voice to be calm because sometimes, if you faked it, you could even fool yourself. "She's already lost too much for such a little kid."

"Tucker." Bren said the name of Iri's biological father in a soft voice, and Rex inclined his head in agreement.

"Yes, but more recently...her mother," he added reluctantly, because she looked so stricken at his words. "Bren, you came back after what happened on Loronar, but if the worst happens...I can't risk leaving her with no one. Our daughter's well-being comes before everything else. It has to."

He watched as she considered for several moments before she touched his cheek, her eyes filled with affection. "Do you know how amazing you are?"

"You can tell me later," he said with a half-smile. "Or show me. Or both. I'm very flexible."

"Okay, I can't stand it any longer," Fives' voice broke in, causing Rex and Brenna to look back at the others, which was when Rex realized that it had gotten very quiet in the dining room. "_What _are you two talking about over there?"

Rex took a deep breath and sat upright in his chair, lacing his fingers together as he regarded his _vode _and the rest of his family. "Aside from Bren and Marliss, we need to determine who else will be going."

"I must go, though the nature of my exile means that I will have to remain in the ship," Nala Se said at once. "There is a device in my body that will detonate should I return to Kamino's surface."

"Well, I'm sure as _haran_ going to go," Fives added with a pointed look at his wife. "Who knows what sort of trouble you'll get into without me around?" Following this, he shot a raised brow at Rex. "You too, I suppose?"

"No." At the former captain's word, Fives visibly started, and Rex realized that a part of him still quite enjoyed catching his brother off-guard, though he pushed the feeling aside immediately. "I'm going to stay with my daughter. Kix and Coric: I want one of you to accompany the others. Same goes for you, Jess and Chopper."

Chopper, who'd been sitting more or less in silence, shifted at the mention of his name. "Imps do things a bit different than the GAR used to," he said in a curt voice. "You'll need someone to show you the ropes."

"Are you volunteering?" Coric asked. A pained look crossed the scarred clone's face, but he nodded once. At this, the former medic looked up at Rex. "I'm in, too."

Rex nodded to his brother and lifted his hands, ticking off the mission participants as he spoke, as much to organize his own thoughts as to make sure they were all on the same page. "So that's Brenna, Fives, Marliss, Coric, Chopper and Nala Se. Of the six of you, only four will be going planet-side – presuming Fives can get a hold of some stormie armor."

"Four of us against the lot of them," Fives said, rubbing his hands almost gleefully. "I almost feel sorry for the long-necks. Erm," he glanced at Nala Se, who blinked at him. "No offense."

Kix's voice was thoughtful. "Only four? Should more of us go?"

"Don't want to over-complicate things," Jesse replied. "Like Umbara, remember? It was easier for a small group to sneak around than a whole platoon."

As he listened to his brothers continue to plan and debate, Rex's stomach began to do an uncomfortable series of flips because the reality of the upcoming mission was sinking in. He glanced at his wife again, wondering if he was being foolish by not wanting to leave Iri. What if Bren needed him? How in the void would he be able to protect her if he stayed behind? He'd lost her once...he didn't think he could bear it happening again.

But she was engrossed in the conversation as well, and he remembered the excitement in her eyes when she spoke of using her talents for this goal. It struck him that she _needed _to do this, that perhaps it was yet another way for her to recover the missing pieces of herself, and he was loathe to deny her that chance.

Brenna had to go. Rex had to stay. They was the only options he could see.

Suddenly, he was exhausted. Rex sighed; a glance at his chrono indicated that it was getting rather late, so he stood up again, causing the others to quiet down and look his way. "Fives, when do you think you can find out about that armor? Pretty much the entire mission is riding on it."

"Tomorrow," the former ARC replied. "It shouldn't be a problem. Even if Mar and I have to go all the way to Mandalore, it shouldn't take more than a day or two."

"I'll need about as much time to get my equipment ready," Brenna added, ignoring the displeased look that her brother was shooting her way. Instead, she looked at the Kaminoan. "Will you help me?"

Nala Se's head inclined towards the brown-haired woman in agreement, and Rex nodded in confirmation. "We'll spend the next few days in preparation; Fives, report to me once you've contacted your friends." At his words, the former ARC straightened and offered a sharp salute, the formality belied by his grin, so Rex couldn't resist adding: "Dismissed."

As his brothers and Nala Se began to slip out of the room, Rex glanced at his wife, who gave him a smile that he didn't feel like returning, but managed, anyway. As they got to their feet, out of the corner of his eye he saw Caith murmur something to Edme, who nodded and left the room; moments later, Bren's brother and mother stepped towards Rex and Brenna, a myriad of questions clearly forthcoming.

"You boys certainly don't do anything half-assed," Jensine said without preamble. Her arms were crossed before her chest and she was looking up at Rex with an expression that he couldn't quite gauge, which was a little troubling.

But before he could answer, Brenna spoke. "This is important, Mom."

Jensine pursed her lips. "I didn't say it wasn't. I only meant that it's the first time I've gotten to see the boys in action – quite impressive. No wonder the ranch is running so well."

"You're really not going?" Caith broke in, his eyes on the former captain. "You're _really_ going to stay here?"

The dining room, which had been full only moments ago, was strangely quiet. There was no accusation or derision in Caith's voice, but Rex could see fear in the other man's eyes, and he didn't fault Caith for being worried for his sister's well-being. Not when so much was at stake. Rex nodded. "Brenna's right," he said slowly, glancing at her as he said the words. "Between the two of us, she's essential for this mission, and I'm not willing to leave Irini alone."

"We'd take care of her," Jensine said, her voice uncommonly soft. "Iri will always have a home, here."

"I'm her father," Rex replied, straightening his shoulders. "It's up to me to take care of her." He saw no reason for any further explanation.

Brenna spoke next, reaching an arm around Rex's waist as she did so; at her touch, his body relaxed a little bit, though he hadn't realized he'd been so tense. "Rex isn't making an easy choice, but I think it's the right one."

Caith studied Rex a long moment, then gave a slow nod, as if in approval, which sent a flare of satisfaction through the former captain.

For her part, Jensine looked at her daughter. "You're sure you can do all of that...slicing stuff?"

"I am." Brenna's reply was firm, and Rex felt her hand at his waist tighten a little bit when she continued. "Mom...I can make a difference. I can do something really good, here."

Yes, Rex knew it was good for her to do this, even though he could hardly stand the thought of her leaving Alderaan without him at her side.

About twenty minutes later, they'd said good-night to Caith and Jensine, checked in on their sleeping daughter, and returned to their bedroom. Only when they were beneath the blankets and his wife was in his arms again did Rex feel truly relaxed, and for a little while he was torn between wanting to ravish her and simply enjoying her presence beside him, the sound of her breathing a comfort in the darkness.

"I wish you were going," she said suddenly, and he felt her body turn to face him. "I know that your brothers will handle everything, but I'd still rather have you."

He felt his heart sink in his chest. "I can't leave our daughter."

"I know," she replied, kissing his cheek. "Trust me. As much as I wish you were going, I'm more comforted by the knowledge that you'll be here, with Iri, no matter what. Though," she added in a wry voice. "I have every intention of returning home."

As she spoke, her breath was soft against his face, and he reached his hand up to skim down her cheek. After his eyes adjusted to the darkness of their room he could see her a little better, especially with the moonlight that was filtering in through the curtains. "How did you manage it?"

Confusion crossed her features and he took a breath. "During the War. When I'd go off to fight and you were left behind. Kriff, you haven't even left yet, and I'm already dreading it. How did you handle that feeling and not go completely crazy with worry?"

She gave him a sad smile. "I don't remember."

_Shab_. He winced at his error, but she ducked her head and pressed her cheek against his chest, as if she were listening to his heartbeat. "I'll have Fives and the others watching my back," she added after a moment. "So I won't have to shoot any droids. I'm not going to be doing any fighting."

_Hopefully_. The word was unspoken, and Rex embraced her, holding her as close as he could. "I know that they'll keep you safe," he said with a sigh. "But I just...it's not enough for me."

There was a beat, then she spoke again. "What about Ahsoka? If she's able, do you think she'd be willing to come?"

It was like a light clicking on inside of his head, and Rex's breath caught at the idea. _Ahsoka_. Of course...he'd not had a chance to comm her recently, but he thought that this mission was right up her hyperlane, assuming she was free and available to help. While the Togruta could not fit into a set of armor, Rex knew her Force senses would come in handy for any stealth-portion of the mission. "You're brilliant," he said to Bren, shifting so that he could kiss her forehead. "I married a brilliant woman."

"And I married an amazing man."

"That you did," he replied in a teasing voice, inwardly delighting at the levity in her words. "Ah...I believe you were going to show me just how amazing you think I am, weren't you?"

She laughed. The sound was music to his ears because he thought she needed to laugh more, especially recently. Well, he knew a few ways to bring about such an end, so he maneuvered himself so that she was lying beneath him. Once he did, he took a moment to savor her eyes on his and the way her body seemed to glow in the moonlight. Love suffused him; he was overwhelmed with it and with gratitude because there was nothing better than _this, _than right now, and he realized again just how impossibly lucky he was. In so many ways.

"I'll get things started," he offered right before he leaned down to kiss her, and there was no more serious talk for some time after that.

* * *

_So I kind of struggled with the idea of Rex staying behind while Bren goes off to Kamino. I realize that it runs counter to the fearless "Captain Rex" that we know and love from TCW, but my hope is that I've developed his character enough to make this decision a believable one. _

_I'm not a parent, but my understanding is that – if you are one – there's nothing more important than the well-being of your child. Nothing. Not even your spouse, as difficult as it may be to understand the feeling. Hopefully Rex's motives for remaining behind are clear and plausible, even if you don't entirely agree. I've worked hard to ensure that this decision is the logical one based on how he's developed in this story, so please let me know what you think! :)_

_No matter what, thank you for reading! _

_Next time: Ahsoka's return! Yay! :D_


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter Thirty**

Rex comm'd Ahsoka the next morning, via the secure comlink that Bren had given her back on the _Resolute_. After a perfunctory greeting he explained a little of what his family hoped to accomplish, and before he'd gotten the entire idea out his former commander interrupted him with a sigh.

His brows knitted; Brenna, who'd been dressing Iri, shot him a concerned look, but before he could say anything, Ahsoka spoke. _"To answer the question you're about to ask, Rex," _she said. _"I'd love to help with the cure for your rapid-aging. When are you guys leaving?"_

"Fives and his wife just left for Mandalore to collect some supplies we'll need," he replied with a scowl at the thought of the former ARC. "They should return within a day or so."

In fact, his brother had woken up before the sun had even risen and gotten a hold of one of his nebulous "contacts," only to burst into Rex and Brenna's room long enough to say that he and Mar were leaving that very moment, to return as soon as they could with "loads of stormie armor." While neither Rex nor Brenna appreciated being disturbed in that fashion, the excitement in Fives' voice was almost enough to make Rex forgive the former ARC for the intrusion when he and his wife were both naked.

_Almost_. Thank the Force Bren had been beneath the blankets at the time, though Rex had not been as fortunate and had – apparently – given Fives more of an eyeful than either man appreciated.

There was a pause, then Ahsoka's voice rose in pitch. _"His _wife_? He and Marliss...got hitched?"_

Brenna made an odd sort of choking sound; a glance up showed Rex that she was fighting back a laugh, and he cleared his throat, wondering what Ahsoka would think if she knew that he'd actually followed in Fives' steps. "Yeah, a little while ago. Anyway, when they return, I imagine we'll take another day or so to prepare, so the mission proper should start within...approximately three days."

A wave of chagrin swept through him and he paused, considering. "Er...you're not doing anything else right now, are you? This wouldn't be pulling you away from some critical mission?"

When Ahsoka spoke again he could hear that she was smiling. _"Don't worry about it. I'm free at the moment, this is beyond a worthy cause, and I'll be glad to see everyone," _she said in a warm voice. _"Give me a day to tie up some loose-ends, then I'll see you on Alderaan."_

"I'll transmit the coordinates," he replied as a soft squeal erupted from the direction of the bed. A glance over showed him that Iri was objecting to the sweater Brenna had chosen for her, but he could see that his wife had the situation well in hand. Bren caught his eye and gave him a wry look that he returned before he spoke back into the comlink. "Hey, kid...?"

"_Yes?"_

"Thanks."

Her answering laugh was bright. _"I'll see you soon, Rexter."_

* * *

_The following afternoon..._

For as little preparation as they had, Rex thought that the plan was really starting to come together. Fives and Marliss' trip to Mandalore had been successful; they'd returned with several crates of stormtrooper armor, which the clones brought to the Damaris' living room, the largest available indoor area where the entire group could congregate away from the chill of the late-autumn air.

Presently, all of the clones and most of the non-clones were in the living room, surrounded by crates of armor and examining each piece as they discussed the new acquisitions. Along with the armor, Fives and Marliss had managed to acquire body-gloves and some Imperial-regulation weapons, the latter of which were safely stowed in the clones' quarters over the barn, because both Iri and Tav were present in the living room, watching the goings-on with immense interest. Jensine had stayed for the first few minutes, but had eventually opted to leave the "young folks to their fun," and had – Rex thought – gone to speak with Nala Se, though he wasn't entirely sure why.

Coric and Fives had already slipped into body-gloves and were beginning to suit up in order to test out the new kit, and as Rex watched his brothers' transformation into stormtroopers, he realized that it felt strange to see them in armor once more.

He wasn't sure what feeling was supposed to mean, but something told him that it was a good thing not to find the accouterments of warfare "normal" any longer.

"It's not too different from the good old Phase Two," Fives was saying as he held up a crisp, white vambrace, rapping his knuckles against it as if to test its construction. He'd already attached the greaves, cuisses and poleyns, so his legs were fully-armored. "Except I miss my kama."

"I'm still not sure about the helmet," Jesse replied, eying the item in question as he stood beside one of the crates that was resting on the floor. "What a weird design for a visor."

Rex had to agree. Of course, he'd favored the elegant, Mando-inspired T-visor of the clones' Phase One armor best, but the Phase Two had at least provided the wearer with a single, unbroken visor. The stormtrooper bucket had broken up the visor into two separate places entirely, creating a host of blind spots that were potentially very dangerous.

"There are advantages and drawbacks all around," Chopper said from where he was leaning against the wall, watching the others. Of all the clones, he'd only given the armor a cursory inspection before standing to the side, as if reluctant to get too close to it just yet. "The design does cut visibility way down, but the plastoid overall is lighter and stronger than the kind used in our old kits. "

Kix's hand was on his chin as he watched Coric and Fives reach for their chest-plates. "I suppose that would make it easier to move in, at least."

Seated beside Rex on the couch, Brenna was holding a helmet upturned in her hand as she studied the interior. Iri was in her lap, also quite interested, so Rex took a moment to point out some of the electronics that Bren would need to familiarize herself with. "It's all controlled by eye movement," he added as he watched her examining the bucket. "It might be tricky to get used to having to blink a certain way."

"I'm wondering where all my hair is going to go," she replied, knitting her brows as Iri reached for the bucket; the little girl made to grab for it, but Brenna held it up, out of the toddler's reach. "There's not a lot of room up there."

"I was thinking that a nice, tight braid and a swimming cap should do the trick," Edme broke in from her place on the other couch. The red-haired woman had given up trying to keep Tav out of the adults' way, and had taken to sipping a cup of caf and watching her son – and her husband – ogling the armor right along with the clones.

Every so often Rex noticed that Caith would look up at Edme, a wide grin on his face as he held up a piece of kit; he was clearly delighted with the brouhaha. Rex remembered that Brenna had liked his armor back in his army days, and it was amusing to think that such a thing ran in the family, albeit for different reasons.

Marliss, who also didn't seem to find the armor quite as fascinating as her own husband, was sitting beside Edme, and at the other woman's words she grinned. "You could always shave your head, Bren."

"_No_," Rex said quickly, then glanced at Bren, who was regarding him with amusement. "Please don't," he added to her. "I like your hair the way it is."

At this, all the women – including Brenna – laughed at him. He sighed but made no further reply, as his comlink had begun to vibrate in his pocket. After withdrawing the device, he smiled at the message that awaited him. _Landing in the far pasture in ten minutes, A. _

They were pretty isolated out here, but Rex had been wary of letting any neighbors – even distant ones – see more than a single ship landing on the Damaris' property within the span of a few days, so he'd asked Ahsoka to set her ship down in a small valley that was a good hike away from the house, thinking he'd take a speeder to bring her back. He glanced back up at his wife, who was still examining the interior of the bucket.

"Ahsoka's nearly here," he said as he got to his feet. "I'm going to go pick her up."

Brenna offered him the kind of smile that made his stomach do an odd sort of flip, then indicated the helmet. "I guess I should start figuring out how I'm supposed to wear all of this."

"It's easy," he replied, giving her a swift kiss against her cheek, adding: "I can show you when I get back, if you like – that's one thing I don't think I'll ever be able to forget."

"Sounds good," she said with a smile. They'd spent some time going over pics that Bren had taken during his army days, so he knew she at least had a mental image of him dressed in his old kit. Indeed, her smile widened and she gave him a wry look. "I think Fives was right about the kama...I feel like I miss it, too."

* * *

Several minutes later, after grabbing his jacket, gloves, and wide-brimmed hat, Rex was speeding along the rolling hills, searching for a sign of Ahsoka's starfighter. The sky was overcast, the thick cover of clouds blanketing the entire horizon in glaring white, and it was a bit cooler than it had been the last few days, indicating that winter was well on its way.

By all accounts, he would not be a fan of winter on Alderaan, but Rex decided to judge such a thing for himself when it came.

At any rate, the overcast sky provided another measure of cover for Ahsoka's ship, and for that he was thankful. Once he reached the RV site, Rex powered the speeder down and stepped out, leaning against the side and surveying the area. The grass that had been so lush in the summer months was brown and shriveled and the autumn wind was particularly biting, making him grateful for his warm clothing. It was strange, at times, to experience seasons in this way; Rex had spent most of his life in climate controlled areas, which generally had no seasons to speak of, and those times when Torrent was on a planet, he'd never been in one place long enough to notice such a thing as the onset of a new season.

A throaty buzz caught his attention and he glanced up, searching. It was overcast, but there was a terrific glare from the sheer whiteness of the clouds, though the wide brim of his kept the worst of the glare from his eyes. Within moments he caught sight of a lithe little fighter dropping out of the sky, making its way for his location. As it descended onto the scrubby grass, all manner of dust and dirt was kicked up from the repulsors, but Ahsoka had maneuvered the craft far enough away from him so he wasn't hit by the debris.

In all honesty, Rex was so anxious to see his friend again that he didn't much care about the dust, though it was considerate of her to land where she had. The moment the starfighter touched the ground, he hurried over, lifting a gloved hand in greeting as the plexiglass hatch opened and a familiar face popped out. She waved too, right before vaulting gracefully to the ground and rushing to him. "Rexter!"

Ahsoka's embrace was firm and when they pulled apart he watched as she scanned his face as if searching for something. He thought she was pleased with what she found, for her eyes lit up and she beamed at him. "You look good."

"So do you," he replied. Well, she looked healthy, at any rate, but there was a heaviness to the set of her shoulders that he'd not seen before. Aside from that, she was dressed similarly to how he'd last seen her: a long, dark coat, black boots and pants – clothing that was meant to blend in. He didn't see her lightsaber, but assumed she was wearing it, somewhere. "It's good to see you again, kid."

Her expression changed, sharpened. "How's Brenna?"

"She's okay," Rex replied with a nod, then indicated the speeder. "I'll fill you in on the way home."

After collecting a knapsack from the interior of her fighter and sealing the hatch she followed him to the speeder. Soon they were skimming across the hills, and for a moment Rex was reminded of their army days, especially when she cast him a curious look that he didn't need words to translate.

Rex exhaled through his nose. "Bren's memory is returning...sort of. Sometimes, it seems like she only needs to be reminded of something or have something explained to her in order to remember it. Some things she doesn't recall at all, and we have no way of knowing if that's going to change or not. In any case, it's a slow process, so we're taking things one day at a time. It was tough at first, but recently she's been doing a lot better."

Ahsoka nodded and gazed at the passing scenery for a moment before looking back at him. "How are _you_ doing?"

"I'm fine," he said, tightening his jaw so that he wouldn't laugh at her sigh of irritation. "No, really...I mean it," he added as he glanced back at her. "Like I said, it was tough at first, but then I-"

He paused, uncertain of how to voice the change that had occurred between him and Bren. None of the others had questioned them about it, but he thought that perhaps it was obvious to everyone around them that he and Bren had found a way to bridge the gap.

But Ahsoka would have no way of knowing any of this, and he suddenly realized that, while he understood Brenna's reasons for wanting to keep their marriage between the two of them for now, he wanted to share the news with the person he still considered his best friend. Ahsoka was not his brother, like Fives and the others were, nor was she quite like Caith and the rest of Brenna's family, and he had a longing to speak to her of something so close to his heart. At one time they'd told each other everything, and he did miss that closeness, a great deal. He hoped that Bren would understand; he thought she would.

So Rex took a breath and watched the terrain skimming before the speeder. "I realized that I'd given her too much space; I'd kept myself at too much of a distance, and it was hurting her more than it was helping. So I proposed."

Ahsoka gaped at him. "You're engaged?"

"Oh, no," he replied, a half-smile tugging at his mouth. "We went ahead and got married. A Mando'a ceremony," he added as her eyes grew even rounder. "The day before yesterday, actually."

"Captain Rex is _married_." She shook her head and laughed helplessly. "Or should I call you Mr. Damaris, now?"

"It's fitting, but 'Rex' still works," he chuckled, though he frowned a moment later, and slowed the speeder's pace as he considered his next words. "We haven't told anyone just yet, though." He sighed at her expression of alarm. "We needed to make some new memories, just between us."

The touch of her hand on his arm was not unexpected, nor was it unwelcome. A glance showed him that Ahsoka was blinking rapidly, and her eyes held a familiar brightness even as the smile she was giving him held nothing but joy. "I'm really happy for you...you deserve to be happy. Both of you."

A moment later, she cleared her throat. "How's Iri?"

Rex smiled. "My daughter is perfect. She's part of the reason I called you, actually." Slowing the speeder a little more, he glanced back at Ahsoka and watched as she met his eyes. "I'm not going with Bren and the others on this mission because I'm going to stay with Iri. If I did go and something were to happen to me and Bren, she would have no one, and I'm not willing to risk leaving her without a parent."

Ahsoka nodded, understanding in her eyes. He sighed and looked back at the trailing ground beneath the speeder. "I know that my brothers will do their best to make sure Brenna comes back home safely, but I'd feel better if you were there, too. I don't want to burden you any more," he added quickly as she took a breath and leaned back in her seat. "But-"

"This is too important to you," she finished, nodding slowly. Again, he could tell that something was weighing on her, and he felt concern for his friend. "I understand, Rex," she said at last. "I'll do my best."

"I know," he replied, offering her a smile, though he glanced back at the way ahead in the next moment. "So, you know about my life...what have you been up to since the last time we saw each other?"

Her arms crossed and her shoulders grew a little tense, and there was a hint of forced levity in her voice when she answered. "Nothing exciting. Still working with Bail Organa; we're still trying to gather resources for the resistance. Black Sun has been sort of helpful, actually, especially after Brenna took care of that guy from Red Star Ring."

Rex's hands tightened on the controls at the thought of Arcas. "They're more of them out there, though, right?"

"Yes, but they've been quiet, lately," Ahsoka replied. "I think the wind got knocked out of them with their leader's death."

Because he was going to have to punch something if he thought about Arcas much more, Rex took a deep breath and shot a glance at his friend again. "Something's wrong."

Her brow-lines knitted and she looked away from him. "A lot of things are wrong right now."

"I mean with you. Personally." He paused, then cleared his throat. "You and Bonteri are still...at odds?"

"It's really pretty here," she said abruptly, her eyes fixed on the distant mountains. "I always forget how much I love the countryside. Aldera is nice, but kind of...stiff."

"Ahsoka."

She sighed and cast her eyes upward, reminding him for one moment of the scrappy teenager he'd met years ago, before she gave him a look that he knew was meant to be wry, even though there was pain in her eyes. "We're not at odds, Rex. We're not...anything."

Rex had sped up their pace a bit more, and the Damaris' house was now visible in the distance, but now he slowed the vehicle, then, after a moment's consideration, stopped entirely. They'd paused on a bluff that overlooked the sweeping hills, and if he looked closely, he could see the vilpacas and the quagga out in the pastures closer to the house. "But you're not happy about it."

"Life isn't always happy." The words were spoke a bit harshly, but he took no offense. It was true enough, that much he knew.

"No, it's not," he replied, looking at her; Force, she looked young right now, frightened and far too weary, and he had an urge to comfort her, somehow. "But I know you, Ahsoka. If you truly thought that you'd done the right thing, even if it hurt, you wouldn't still be...this way."

Her mouth opened to reply but he shook his head and continued. "You still love him, don't you?"

Ahsoka winced and hugged her arms even closer to her chest. "It doesn't matter, Rex. I can't risk what happened to Anakin happening to me. I can't let love take over my life, because it could destroy everything."

At her words, he felt a thrill of anger – of all things – pierce him, and he frowned as he tried to collect his thoughts and align them with his emotions. Finally he took a deep breath and turned to her, twisting in the seat to regard her face-to-face. "I meant everything I said to you before, Ahsoka: you're _not _Anakin. His choices aren't yours. His fate is not yours. But more than that...if you have a chance at happiness and you throw it away because you're _afraid_, then you're an idiot."

She visibly started at his words, and he grimaced inwardly at the thought that he'd hurt her feelings, but he also thought that perhaps she needed to hear this. "I know how you feel, Ahsoka, because I've been there, too. But I've learned that you can't let fear of what _might be _keep you from allowing yourself happiness _right now_. It's no way to live, kid."

For a long few minutes, she said nothing. They sat in silence and surveyed the Alderaani terrain before them until he heard her give a soft sigh; turning, he watched as she offered him a half-smile. "You're pretty smart for a guy in such a silly hat."

Frowning, Rex touched the brim of his hat, though he didn't remove it. "You don't like it?"

She chuckled. "No, it suits you. It's just...different. As is everything, I guess."

"Not all change is bad," he replied, starting up the engine again. As he steered them towards the house, he adjusted the brim once more. "And I _like_ the hat. It's comfortable _and _practical."

At this, Ahsoka began laughing in earnest. "Of that I have no doubt, Rexter."

* * *

_While I may not ship Rex and Ahsoka any longer, I do feel that they have a strong bond of friendship. I realize that was missing in some ways from _The Fighting Kind_, and wanted to show it to a greater degree in this story._

_Thanks for reading! :D_

_Next time: Wearing armor kind of sucks if you have boobs. Just sayin'. :P_


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter Thirty-One**

_Meanwhile..._

Brenna stared at her reflection and didn't know quite what to think.

Out of everything, the body-glove had been the most difficult component to get on. Since it was made to fit over only one body type, it was not nearly as stretchy as it looked. Because of this, it had been difficult to squeeze her hips and bound breasts into the thing, while she'd had more room at her waist and shoulders than was needed. However, Edme and Marliss had been able to alter the looser parts with a few well-placed pins, so that now it appeared to fit her like a second-skin.

Since Rex had still not returned from retrieving Ahsoka, Brenna had enlisted the help of Fives and Kix to help her dress in the armor, and her head was already spinning with the names of all the individual pieces. As she stood before the long mirror in her bedroom, Fives and Kix showed her how to attach the armored plating to the body-glove, while an amused Marliss and Edme looked on from the bed, where they also had Iri.

At first the toddler had been incredibly confused about her mother's transformation into a trooper, though eventually she'd either gotten over it or decided that beating the palms of her hands against the helmet's skull was a better use of her attention. The erratic tattoo lent a strange backdrop to the moment, and as Brenna held her hair out of the way so that Kix could affix the shoulder-pieces – the _spaulders, _he'd said – she felt a squirm of nerves in her stomach.

It was beyond strange to see herself this way; the armored plating was shiny, glinting in the light that filtered through her and Rex's room, and despite the fact that it had not been made to fit on a body such as hers, it was not as uncomfortable as she'd imagined.

"There," Kix said, stepping back and surveying his handiwork. "Not bad, if I do say so myself."

Fives stood beside her; he was completely armored at this point, save the helmet, so he straightened his shoulders and offered his and Brenna's reflections a sharp salute, urging Brenna to copy his movements. It took her several minutes to get it right, but when she did, Fives gave her a satisfied nod. "As long as _that _looks convincing, you'll be fine, Bren. Though," he added, thinking. "Practicing can't hurt, especially with standing at attention."

"Let's try and do something with your hair," Edme said, rising from the bed.

For several minutes, Brenna was subject to both Kix and Edme working over her, urging her to _hold still _while they completed their respective tasks. Finally, when her hair was braided and pinned to her head and Kix was helping her adjust the final bits of armor on her arms, they heard the sounds of the clones greeting a new arrival: Rex and Ahsoka had returned. Eager to see Rex's reaction to her current state, Bren reached for Iri to gather the little girl in her arms. At first she was worried that Iri would be uncomfortable with the armor, but the toddler seemed completely fine with it, even going so far as to tap her hands on the plating.

"Mama shiny."

"That's right, kiddo," Fives replied with a laugh as he held out an elbow as if to escort Marliss downstairs. "She certainly is."

It was strange to try and move with the armor. As she shifted Iri on her hip and held the bucket in her other hand, Brenna's body felt stiff and awkward, but she was determined to get used to it. The boots were far too big; she'd had to stuff flimsi in the toes to prevent them from shifting too much, and walking in the kit was clunky and difficult. In any case, she managed to make her halting way down the stairs and into the living room, where the clones, Caith and Tavi were greeting the newcomer.

Ahsoka looked similar to how Brenna remembered her, and she felt a swell of gratitude for the Togruta woman, a feeling that was only in part related to her own rescue. Beside Ahsoka, facing away from the stairs as he spoke to Caith, Brenna could see that Rex already seemed more at ease, and she realized again how much he trusted the young Jedi.

"Hey, Rex," Fives called out from behind Brenna. "Check out the shiny!"

At the words, Rex glanced over and Brenna had to chuckle as his mouth fell open when he saw her. Though she wasn't wearing the helmet and she was carrying a toddler on her hip, Brenna knew that she looked quite different than her normal state, so she paused and offered Rex a crisp salute, trying not to laugh at his aghast look. Beside him, Ahoska's eyes had gotten huge, as had Caith's and the other clones', but no one said anything as Rex hurried to Brenna's side.

Edme had gone to stand with Caith and Tavi, both of whom were regarding Brenna with something she recognized as mild jealousy. The red-haired woman nudged her husband's side, as if trying to draw him out of a trance. "I'm sure they'll let you borrow it when they get back."

Brenna did her best to stand "at attention," and for a moment she watched as Rex stood about an arm's length from her, running his eyes up and down her body until she couldn't stand it any more. "How does it look?"

All he did was blink at her, and she sighed as she added: "That bad?"

"It looks great," he replied at last, shaking his head as if to clear it and stepping forward to rest a tentative hand on her hip. "It's just...I'm not used to wanting to kiss someone in armor." His brows knitted as Fives began to guffaw in the background. "It's a bit...confusing."

"Mama shiny," Iri said again, proudly, and Rex gave a helpless chuckle as he tousled her hair.

Behind him, Ahsoka approached, her eyes on Brenna in an appraising manner, though there was a softness to her gaze that indicated she was pleased at what she was looking at. "It does look good," she said as she came to stand beside Rex, her head tilting in consideration. "Will the helmet fit over your hair with it braided like that?"

In response, Brenna handed Iri over to Rex and slid the trooper helmet over her head; it rested over her braid well enough, though she was reluctant to activate the HUD just yet, still having no idea how to use it. Through the visor she could see Rex, Iri and Ahsoka staring at her in wonder. "This is weird," she said, her voice distorted by the helmet's annunciator. "How in the stars did you ever wear this stuff all the time, Rex?"

"It was never really an issue," he replied as Iri reached out to touch the helmet's blank face. "I was practically decanted wearing armor."

At this, Ahsoka shook her head, still regarding Brenna. "I could never manage even a little bit; it's too cumbersome."

Rex pulled a face. "I don't know how you managed to _not _wear armor." He looked at Brenna and thumbed towards the Padawan. "She practically gave me a coronary during every battle."

"Was that before or after you would rush headlong into a line of tinnies?" Ahsoka was grinning in earnest as she spoke.

"During. It was very distracting." The former captain and commander shared a laugh, and Brenna watched her husband; it was strange to do so from behind the bucket, but she felt like she could really study him without seeming to. Again, she noted how he looked more relaxed than he had since they'd started planning all of this, and she was glad that Ahsoka had come, for his peace of mind if nothing else. Admittedly, Brenna also felt a bit more confident about the entire endeavor, now; surely the Force – whatever it was – would be with them if they had a Jedi.

"Mama...?" Still in Rex's grasp, Iri tilted her head and furrowed her brow as she studied the helmet, then her face scrunched up like she was about to cry. Seeing this, Brenna quickly removed the bucket and – after a moment's fumbling – attached it to her belt using the small clip on the back.

"It's okay, honeybee," she said, stepping closer to Rex and their daughter and embracing the little girl even as Iri was nestled against her father's chest. "I'm still me."

Iri's features relaxed and she buried her face in Brenna's neck, the only place on her that wasn't cool, hard plastoid. Brenna took a breath; it would be so hard to leave her little girl, but she believed – she _knew _– that Rex would keep Iri safe, and realized that she was grateful that he'd be there for Iri when she wasn't, even if it was only for a short while.

Still murmuring words of comfort to their daughter, Brenna felt Rex's hand slip around her waist, felt the drop of a kiss against her forehead, then she heard him say, not to her, but to Ahsoka: "Thank you, again."

* * *

Two days later, Rex watched as his wife prepared to board a ship that would take her far away from him and Iri, and he wondered again if he was making the wrong choice.

Iri was still in Bren's arms, reluctant to be parted from her mother; as he watched Bren hugging the rest of her family goodbye, his thoughts were not entirely pleasant. _Is this what freedom is?_ _A series of decisions and then endless doubts about them? _

In that sense, this life felt very similar to his former one, where the burden of command had rested heavily on his shoulders.

A deep breath brought the scent of cool, mid-afternoon air, cutting beneath the mechanical smell of the _Shereshoy_'s engines, and he tried to dispel his doubt. Rex was by his very nature a man of action, so it felt wrong in a way to willingly stay behind when the woman he loved marched into certain danger, but every time he examined his choice, he understood it was the right one. As surely as he had a duty to protect Brenna, he had a greater responsibility to his daughter – to _their_ daughter – and he'd be damned if he let Iri down. Brenna had proven her mettle to him a dozen times over; she had Fives, Coric, Chopper and Marliss with her, all of whom he knew were capable; she had Ahsoka.

He exhaled again, feeling a little bit better. Ahsoka had never let him down, not really, so it was that he was able to trust her with something more far precious than his own life.

Rex glanced over at Fives, Coric and Chopper, who'd already said their goodbyes to those who were staying behind and were waiting for the others; Marliss and Nala Se were inside the ship already, as were the crates of armor, the weapons, Bren's equipment and the other supplies they'd need. Ahsoka was speaking to Kix and Jesse, laughing at something the tattooed clone was telling her, and Rex had to smile a little bit at the sight, so similar to the days of the War. Things had been hectic since she'd arrived, the days mostly filled with endless debates and planning, but he was glad to know that the former 501st commander had found time with her former soldiers.

Bren was still talking to her family, so once Ahsoka left the clones, he tilted his chin to her in a manner that indicated he wanted to speak to her privately. Once she was near him, he opened his mouth to speak, but she lifted her hand. "You're welcome."

His jaw closed and he frowned at her. "How...?" At her wry look, he sighed. "Am I that bad of a broken holo-record?"

"No," she replied with a smile. "Just a grateful one. Despite how you feel right now, I know you're happy. I've never seen you so happy." Her montrals darkened in a Togruta flush. "You deserve it."

"So do you." He paused, not quite believing that _he _was giving relationship advice to her, but pushed through the feeling because for once he felt like he knew what he was talking about. A little bit, anyway. "If you and Bonteri truly care for one another, what you share is worth fighting for."

Her dark lips pursed and her eyes skimmed the horizon in thought, then she sighed and looked back at him. "Maybe I'll give him a call when this is over."

Rex regarded her, searching for a sign that she was saying this simply to placate him; finding none, he nodded once. "Good."

A bright laugh escaped her. "Thanks for the stamp of approval."

He chuckled as well, but his attention had drifted away from Ahsoka because Bren had finished saying her goodbyes to her family and was approaching him, Iri hugged close to her chest. "You can't order her to do anything, either," Brenna said to him with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Didn't Ahsoka outrank you, anyway?"

She was nervous; he could read it in her every movement, hear it in her every word, and again he was thankful beyond measure that Ahsoka would be with her when he could not. So he didn't respond to her teasing, instead reaching for her so that he could wrap his arms around both his girls one last time before Brenna left; he held her as close as he could and spoke into her ear. "I love you, Bren. Be safe."

In his embrace, she was trembling, but he felt her take a deep breath, then extract one of her arms to wrap it around his neck so that she could kiss him, and for the duration he was lost to her. When they parted, she touched his jaw and held his eyes with her own. "I've lost you both once," she whispered, blinking rapidly. "It's not happening again."

Rex pulled back a little bit and took her free hand in his, pressing them both over her jacket, against her heart, and spoke with as much conviction as he could manage. "You never lost me, Bren. I'm right here. I always will be."

She didn't answer but he felt her body relax, and he kissed her again. When they parted, she handed him Iri, then bent so that she was eye-level with their daughter. "I'll be back very soon, sweetheart," she said with a smile to the toddler. "Be a good girl for Daddy."

"Iri strong," she replied in a proud voice that made Rex smile, despite his sorrow. "Mama be good," Iri added, reaching out her hand to her mother's cheek. "Iri love Mama."

"I love you, too," Brenna said, her eyes shifting between Irini and Rex, though she was already turning to the ship, where the others were waiting. As he watched her, Rex wondered again how she'd managed to watch him leave during the War, how she'd been able to handle letting him go again and again, knowing that each time they saw each other might be the last.

_Never again, _he thought as he watched her. _I don't want either of us to go through this, ever again. _ Brenna reached the ship and lifted her hand in a perfect soldier's salute that made him smile, but when she disappeared inside the _Shereshoy_, he pressed Iri as close to his chest as he could, as if the little girl would stop his body from fracturing with worry.

"It'll be okay, Rexter." Ahsoka's voice made him turn; she was the last to board, and her eyes on him were filled with compassion. "I'll make sure she gets back to you."

"I know," he said, then he added: "Make sure you come back, too."

She grinned, then vaulted up the loading ramp in a single, graceful somersault. Seconds later, the hatch began to close and the whine of the engines increased in pitch; the repulsors began to kick up dust and flecks of grass, so Rex and the others stepped back several meters to allow the ship clearance. In his arms, Iri held very still, her head tilting back more and more as the _Shereshoy_ began to climb into the air, until it was far above those left behind.

Within only a minute, the ship disappeared into the clouds. Once it vanished, Caith, Jensine and the others didn't say anything for a few moments, and it felt like the whole world had gone quiet.

"Mama gone," Iri whispered, breaking the silence, then she buried her face in Rex's chest, her body trembling with impending tears.

In response, Rex kissed his daughter's head and held her closer. "Not for long, _Iri'ka._"

The words were true. Everything would be okay. It would have to be.

* * *

_Thanks for reading!_

_Next time: The infiltration of Kamino._


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

Their plan was simple.

As she listened to Fives, Marliss and Ahsoka discussing the finer points, Brenna watched the shredding stars of hyperspace that were visible through the transparisteel cockpit of the _Shereshoy_, and fought back her trepidation for what was surely the hundredth time.

Their plan was simple, but simple was good; _simple_ had a far better chance of success than _complicated. _Besides, Brenna knew that if she was going to be infiltrating Kamino with anyone, doing so with a former ARC trooper, a pair of skilled clone soldiers, a Kaminoan _and _a Jedi was probably her best chance for success.

She just wished that the knot in her chest that refused to dissipate was only due to the uncomfortable binding around her breasts, and nothing else.

"Pre-battle jitters?" Chopper's voice was quiet. Like her, he was seated in one of the pull-out chairs at the cockpit's sides. Unlike her, he seemed completely calm and relaxed: leaning back, arms crossed before his chest, mismatched eyes regarding her with something that was almost amusement. Of all the clones, Chopper was the most laconic, especially with the "civvies," so it was something of a surprise to hear him address her.

Brenna looked down at the datapad she'd brought along, and toyed with the port-cover. "I guess so, though I hope there's no battle."

The scarred clone frowned, but she thought it was a contemplative expression, not an unhappy one. "I do as well, but things rarely go as we hope."

Even though she felt much the same way, his words sent a thrill of alarm through her and her throat went dry. A moment later he seemed to realize this, and he exhaled through his nose, wincing as if he were in pain. "Sorry, Miss Damaris...I don't mean to sound so negative."

"No, you're right," she replied, lifting the 'pad and setting it in the Imperial-regulation backpack Fives had provided that held her slicing equipment. "Things don't really work out as we'd like, do they?" She paused and swallowed. "I'm glad I can help on this mission, but...I just want to come back home when we're done."

Around them, the others were clearly engrossed with the planning, though Brenna had done everything she could by now, so that all she had to do was wait. She tried not to sigh, because although she didn't remember much from the War, she thought that her dislike of waiting was probably the same now as it was then.

Chopper tilted his head and regarded her thoughtfully, then offered a smile that she thought was meant to be reassuring, for all that it looked a bit out of place on him. "I'm nervous, too."

"But you've done stuff like this before."

He shrugged and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Yeah, but it never gets any easier." Another faint smile tugged at his mouth, though this one seemed more genuine. "Didn't the Captain tell you that?"

The mention of Rex made Brenna smile despite her next words. "Maybe. I don't remember."

"Oh...right," Chopper's neck turned red and he looked away from her in embarrassment. "I...uh...heard about that."

The sight made her want to reassure him, somehow, so she offered him a smile and patted his armored forearm with her own gloved and gauntleted hand. "It's okay, Chopper. Things could be a lot worse."

He did not relax at her light touch, but nor did he recoil; instead, he glanced back at her and nodded once, in confirmation of her words. "That's very true, Miss Damaris."

She smiled again. "Please, just 'Brenna.'"

Beyond them, the others had grown quiet, and Brenna glanced over to see that they were sliding out of hyperspace; she knew that within a few moments they'd reach Kamino and the entire thing would begin, so she took another deep breath to help quell her nerves. It wasn't working.

Chopper's voice broke through her nerves again, his words thoughtful and – she could tell – quite deliberate. "The others used to call you 'the Captain's girl.'"

Somehow, she was able to laugh outright at this; perhaps it was the indirect mention of Rex, or simply the mention of one of the mundane elements of her life that she'd forgotten, but a tiny bit of the agitation fled her mind. "I don't remember that, Chopper. But," she added as she shot him a grateful look. "It's good to hear. Thanks."

His head tilted in a nod as he rose out of his seat, following the others who were already making their way out of the cockpit. "Sure thing, Brenna."

* * *

Even with the temp-controlling properties of her armor, Kamino was chillier than she'd imagined. Perhaps it was the persistent wind and rain that she'd been warned about cooling this section of the planet considerably, but Brenna thought that the stark whiteness of the place added to the cold feeling.

Aside from the fact that it was impossible to breathe normally with her breasts bound within the body suit, so far, things had gone remarkably well. Marliss and Nala Se had remained on the _Shereshoy, _cloaked from observation and sensor scan, while Brenna, Fives, Coric and Chopper – all in full armor, with her bag of equipment – slipped from the airlock and made their way through a hangar that the clones remembered was only used for loading supplies. Ahsoka, in typical Jedi efficacy, had followed along while somehow managing to remain out of sight; her role on this mission was mostly as a scout, lending her Force-senses to give the clones and Brenna a better idea of what and whom they might be approaching while roaming through the corridors.

They'd lucked out; there was no one around to see the group of them materialize out of thin air, and from the hangar they'd been able to move quickly to the nearest exit, where the plan was for Brenna, Fives, Chopper and Coric to blend in with any clones they came across while Nala Se directed them via a secure comm-channel that Brenna had set up. Ahsoka had already made herself scarce, but wore a slender headset so she could communicate with Brenna and the others via comm while she scouted ahead.

Because of the nature of the _Shereshoy'_s cloaking device, it was impossible for Marliss to make out anything on her own scanners while her ship was hidden from the scanners of others, so Bren and the rest had to wait several, anxious minutes while Marliss brought her ship to a safe distance away in order to let Nala Se contact the group. Once the mission was done, Marliss would have to reactivate the the cloak before she returned for them.

Presently, Brenna was beside Fives, with Coric at their rear and Chopper taking point while they walked down one of the corridors that ran through this place, waiting for Nala Se's signal to activate again and their mission to begin in earnest. Nala Se had given Brenna a vague idea of where the substance could be found, though she was uncertain of the exact location, so they were waiting for her signal and trying to look like they belonged in the meantime.

It was easier said than done.

"_There's a squad of troopers heading towards you," _Ahsoka said over their secure comm-channel as the group made their way down a gleaming corridor. _"But I don't see any Kaminoans right now. Take the next left, and you should avoid the stormies."_

Chopper's reply was swift. "Got it. Thanks, Commander."

As the scarred clone led the group down the left-side corridor, Ahsoka sighed over the comm. _"I'm not really a commander any more, Chopper. But you're welcome."_

"Nothing to it," Fives murmured. There was a slight waver to his voice, and Brenna figured that he was thinking of Marliss, though his words were steady. "You're doing great, Bren."

She didn't feel like it. Walking in the armor was difficult, mostly because she'd never noticed how different the clones moved from civilians like herself. Each fluid step was designed for maximum efficiency, and there was a certain stride that each man had that there was no way she could replicate. Instead, she took a deep breath and tried to match Chopper's gait as he walked ahead of her. His posture – as was that of the others – was tense, and it was not wholly due to the stress of the mission.

None of them had really wanted to come back to this place, and she didn't blame them.

It was so bright here, and cold. Fives had helped her adjust the enviro-controls of her armor, but she still felt uncomfortable in a way that had nothing to do with the temperature. Everything was polished, gleaming; everything was white and pristine. Life was created here, but Brenna thought that Tipoca City felt utterly devoid of it.

Brenna didn't care for the irony of searching for a way to prolong the clones' lives in such a place. The sooner Nala Se called, the sooner they could get this mission over with and return home.

"_Wait,"_ Ahsoka said suddenly, causing everyone to freeze in their tracks. _"A few stormies broke off from the main group and are heading for you."_

Fives swore slightly, the sound distorted over the comm, but he urged everyone to continue walking, as it would look odd if they stopped for no apparent reason in the empty corridor. "Keep moving," he murmured just as they saw the stormtroopers round the corner. "Just act casual."

At once thankful of her armor and self-conscious of the fact that it made her move so awkwardly, Brenna tried to take a deep breath and keep her stride as smooth as possible, hoping to match the clones around her in gait if not in height. There were three approaching stormtroopers, all in the same immaculate, white armor as Brenna and her group, and the overhead lights gleamed off of the plastoid plating. The heavy tread of their boots created a steady rhythm, one that Brenna found herself automatically trying to replicate with each step, and as the stormies drew closer, she knew that this was the moment of truth.

She held her breath. _Please, please let this work._

In front of her, Chopper straightened and offered a brisk nod to the stormtroopers as they passed, a gesture that the other clones returned. It was a perfunctory acknowledgment, but the fact that the stormies returned it made Brenna release her breath and shift the strap of the pack on her shoulder. Perhaps they would make it, after all.

Ahsoka's voice sounded in her ear._ "You guys clear, yet? I think Marliss and Nala Se are ready."_

Before anyone could reply, the stormtrooper at the tail end of the group paused as Brenna passed by him. "You there, stop."

In her ear, she could hear Fives swearing over the comm-channel, but Brenna didn't know what else to do but pause, even though her heart had started racing with the stormtrooper's words. Her body was screaming at her to run, to _get away, _but she thought that it was wiser to comply, for now. Running would certainly blow their cover, but they could maybe still bluff their way through this ordeal.

Too bad she couldn't speak. Instead, she turned and regarded the stormtrooper who'd spoken to her, tilting her head in an inquiring manner and trying to ignore the furious thundering of her heart. The stormie looked her up and down, then crossed his arms before his chest. "Aren't you a little short for a stormtrooper?"

Beneath her helmet, she caught her breath again because she couldn't tell if he was joking or if the inquiry was a serious one. Thankfully, she was spared from having to reply, because Chopper stepped in. "Shorty's mic is malfunctioning," he said, injecting exasperation into his tone. "We're taking him to the quartermaster for a replacement bucket."

"Kriffing shiny...it's the third time this week," Fives added with a playful punch at Bren's armored shoulder. "Like he's doing it on purpose or something."

Chopper gave a curt laugh, the sound distorted by the annunciator in his kit. "Hey, it's better than listening to all his dumb questions."

It was a harsh statement, and for a moment Brenna thought that the scarred clone had pushed his luck, but thankfully he'd seemed to know exactly what to say to allay any suspicions the Imperial might have felt.

"Shiny, eh?" The stormtrooper gave Brenna another look, then shook his head and glanced back at Chopper. "Good luck. They're a hair away from useless, most of the time." With those parting words, the stormtrooper and his fellows continued on, turning the corner a few moments later and leaving Brenna and her companions in silence.

The moment they were out of earshot, she exhaled and looked at Chopper, whose visor was facing her. "Thank you," she managed.

He nodded and thumbed the way behind him. "We should get moving."

"_Guys? Brenna?"_ Ahsoka's voice sounded worried._ "Are you okay?"_

"We're fine, Commander," Coric replied. "Just making some new friends."

Ahsoka muttered something about her name not her title, but Brenna didn't catch it, because just then, she heard Marliss' voice in her ear. _"Bren? The _Shereshoy's_ in a safe place, so I'm going to put Nala Se on, alright?"_

A moment later, the Kaminoan's voice filled Brenna's ear, lilting and liquid. _"What is your current location?"_

Brenna glanced around; to avoid the stormtroopers, they'd gotten a bit off-track and she wasn't quite certain where they were now, but thankfully she was not alone. Coric's reply was quiet but filled with assurance. "Level Four, Sector Seven, I believe, ma'am."

"_Very well,"_ Nala Se said, notes of determination in her voice. _"Here is where you need to go..."_

* * *

_Back on Alderaan..._

It was only a matter of hours since Brenna and the others had left, but Rex thought that he was starting to go a little mad with worry. Once he'd come to terms with the idea of his wife leaving while he stayed behind with their daughter, he'd prepared himself for an onslaught of the emotion and tried to arrange lots of chores and activities, both for himself and Iri, in order to fill the time until Bren, his brothers and Ahsoka returned home.

Unfortunately, he wasn't really interested in doing any of them.

But it wouldn't do for him to sit around and let himself be consumed with worry, so he'd pushed past his desire to pace back and forth through the house, comlink in hand, and instead turned his attention to other tasks.

It was about two hours before dinner, and everyone was outside, within his field of vision and hard at work even as they were enjoying the last light of the day: Jesse and Caith were preparing a few more sections of energy-fence to be installed tomorrow; Kix was working his way through the final few vilpacas in their paddock, checking for injury or illness, which had to be done rather frequently. After some internal debate, Rex had decided to keep working with Nova, as he was hoping to make her even more responsive to commands; she'd done so well with Iri he thought to try letting his daughter ride the quagga again, later, but for now, Iri was happy with her grandmother.

Edme and Jensine were seated on the brick patio behind the main house; the former was looking over a datapad, while the latter was cleaning an assortment of leather tack, which she'd spread out on the patio table. Both Iri and Tav were helping, to an extent, and every time Rex glanced over and saw his daughter's face scrunched in concentration as she watched Jensine, a little bit of his anxiety fled.

Beneath him, Nova whickered slightly, drawing his attention back, so Rex nudged the quagga's sides with his heels and they moved forward as one. Thinking to work on Nova's agility and her ability to heed even the slightest of his commands, he'd created a makeshift obstacle course in the paddock out of a few rain barrels. First they walked a pattern around the barrels, then he planned to move her through at a brisk trot. Cantering would be next, then-

A faint, buzzing sound caught his attention, and as Rex slowed Nova's pace, he frowned up at the sky, which was still overcast and hazy, just a little bit darker with the evening's approach. It sounded like a ship, but there was no way Bren and the others had returned yet. The noise was too close to come from a casual passer-by, and warning stirred in his gut as he scanned the clouds. He was dimly aware that the others had also paused in their tasks to search for the source of the noise, but the bulk of his attention was fixed on the sky.

The warning thrilled to a sense of alarm when he caught sight of the strange ship, skimming through the clouds and making a direct heading for one of the closer pastures. Assuming the newcomers had speeders, Rex realized would be here within a few minutes after landing. There was no telling who they were or why they'd come, but Rex had a dark feeling that they were not stopping by to chat. No one came out here unless they had a very good reason.

No, this was no coincidence, and he knew that something was terribly wrong.

Immediately, Rex snapped into command-mode. "Jesse, Kix, Caith," he barked into his comlink, which he'd pulled from his pocket. "Arm yourselves and prepare to defend the homestead."

With that, he turned Nova and urged her to the edge of the paddock. There, he slid off of her back and raced for the patio, where Jensine and Edme, seeing the clones spring into action, had collected the kids and were watching Rex's approach with alarm.

"What is it?" Edme asked, her eyes wide as she took Tavi's hand. Jensine looked more angry than afraid, but she said nothing as she held Iri tightly to her chest.

Rex indicated the direction the ship had landed. "I've got a bad feeling about this," he said, not wanting to alarm the kids any more than he had to; already, Iri's eyes were on his, and her expression was frightened. "Unless you recognize that ship?"

Jensine's eyes narrowed. "It's not one I've ever seen before."

Rex reached for his daughter; she was trembling, so he began murmuring words of comfort as he held her close in order to lessen her fear. Iri buried her head in his shoulder, but her trembling subsided a little bit, which made him feel a bit better, too. It was more than a little ironic that this – whatever it was – was happening after he'd chosen to remain behind, in the hopes of keeping one of Iri's parents safe, but there was nothing to be done but keep going.

"It could be nothing," Rex said. "But just in case, I'd like you both to take the kids inside. The first-floor 'fresher has no windows...lock yourselves in there and wait for the all-clear-"

"I can shoot," Jensine interrupted with a shake of her head. "I'm not helpless. This is my home and I'm able to defend it."

There was no time to argue, so he only nodded once and held Iri a little tighter.

By now, the others were returning from the clones' rooms where they'd taken to storing their weapons. As Rex watched them race up, he noted with satisfaction that his brothers looked as he remembered them from their army days: ready for anything. Another flare of pride rose within him when he saw that Caith and Edme was nervous, but clearly working to fight back their anxiety in order to do what had to be done. It was suddenly very quiet; the ship had probably landed by now, so they had to be ready.

Accordingly, Rex pitched his voice to his most authoritative tone, hoping to inspire confidence in everyone. "Alright," he said with a nod. "Here's the plan. Edme: take the kids inside and try to keep them calm. Caith, Jensine: stay in the house and guard the first-floor points of entry – you'll be the last line of defense in case..."

His arms tightened around Iri, but he pushed back the swell of apprehension he felt, and continued. "Jesse, Kix: we'll create a perimeter and keep them at bay. With any luck, they won't even reach the house."

"But if they do," Jensine added, a glint in her eyes that reminded Rex of Brenna when she was especially determined. "We'll be ready."

* * *

_Yes, that's a nod to the OT in Bren's interaction with the stormies. ;)_

_Thank you so much for reading! Please leave feedback, if you have a moment. :)_

_Next time: Defending the homestead._


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

Either Brenna's luck had improved or the Force was most definitely with them, for they reached the sector where Nala Se's compound was stored without incident. Admittedly, there had been a few tense moments while Ahsoka – hiding in a ventilation duct – had to use her Force-abilities to influence the two guards who were posted in this section that they needed to take a break; once the troopers had moved away from the security panel by the door, Brenna exhaled. Filled with a new kind of tension, she stepped into the hallway, her boots echoing on the walls, and approached the panel, Fives, Chopper and Coric on her heels.

It was up to her, now.

As Brenna began rummaging through her bag, she heard Nala Se's voice over the comm-channel. _"Once you are inside, I can direct you to the appropriate laboratory; all of the compounds related to the aging process were stored in one place."_

"Right," Brenna replied, pulling out her datapad; she plugged one end of a connector-cable into her 'pad, then slid the other into the port on the panel beside the door. Her hands were trembling and her stomach was in knots, so she attempted a few deep breaths while she waited for the little 'pad to make its connection. _I can do this, _she told herself, thinking of Rex and all his brothers. _I _have _to do this. _

In a very real sense, many, many lives depended on her.

"You're all clear," Chopper said, suddenly, as if he could sense her agitation.

There was conviction and kindness in Fives' voice as he added: "We've got your six, Bren."

Marliss spoke up next, her voice sounding wry even over the comm. _"He's right. We know you can do this."_

It heartened her to hear the voices of her friends, so she nodded, took another deep breath, and turned all of her attention to her datapad. Immediately, her body and mind relaxed into the familiar patterns, and she found that the work came to her easily, almost like second-nature, which helped her nerves. As she worked she forgot to be nervous; she was hardly aware of anything aside from the quietly beeping datapad in her hand and the streams of information it was feeding her.

Absently, she removed her helmet and clipped it to her belt, in order to see better, then continued working. Perhaps it took longer than she'd thought, but a few moments after she did so, she heard one of the clones' throats clear. "Uh...Brenna...?"

"Mmm?"

"Bucket."

Blinking, she looked up to see Chopper – she thought it was, anyway – regarding her with his arms crossed before his chest. The others were silent, but they were all facing her. Frowning at the datapad for one more moment, she then glanced back at the clone. "But..."

The lights above them were reflected back to her on his visor as he shook his head, though he said nothing else. Brenna sighed, but slipped her helmet back on; it was probably wiser, anyway. Once she turned her attention back to the 'pad, she was able to ignore most of the strangeness of looking through the HUD, and within a few more moments, she felt a thrill of excitement, because...

"Oh, thank the Force," Fives muttered as the panel flashed green and the doors slid open. "I was starting to get bored."

There was only teasing in his voice, and she found that she was able to chuckle as they stepped inside the next room. A long, dark corridor greeted them, though the moment the door closed behind the group, a series of florescent lights flicked on – probably from an unseen motion-sensor – illuminating the entire stretch of hallway and the rows upon rows of circular-shaped doors along each wall.

"Holy kriffing hell," Chopper said, his voice barely a whisper.

"You can say that again, _vod," _Coric added. "Good thing we have a guide."

Ahsoka's voice sounded over the comm, also quiet._ "You guys are in?"_ Fives answered in the affirmative, and the Togruta exhaled before she replied. _"There's no way for me to follow you right now. I'll hold my position and wait here. If anything goes wrong, contact me."_

"Copy that," Brenna said as she surveyed the area, adding: "Thank you."

Like pretty much everything else in this city, the corridor was bright and spare; clean, white walls reached back at least several hundred meters, then curved slightly to the right. Each of the doors along the sides were identical, and there were so many...

However, before Brenna had a chance to feel any more apprehensive, she heard Nala Se's voice over her comm. _"Have you breached the laboratory sector?"_

She took a deep breath to steady herself before she gave a brief description of the area, to verify again that they were in the correct section, then waited for the Kaminoan's direction. Within moments, she and the others were moving through the gleaming corridor, passing by dozens of doors until they reached one in particular: pale gray with a softly blinking panel beside it, the door looked the same as every other they'd passed, but Brenna's throat went tight at the thought of what lay behind it.

From what Nala Se had indicated, the security codes on the lab doors themselves were not as highly-encrypted as those on the entrance to the entire section; additionally, it was standard procedure to change the security codes to the individual labs once every month-cycle, with a new one being selected from a series of codes that were used expressly for this purpose.

Based on that information, it seemed that the more difficult part of the team's job was over once Brenna had sliced into the first door, but of course, the process was not that simple.

"_I have estimated the code that you will need,"_ Nala Se said. _"But it is only an estimation. Should the code be entered in error, the sector will be put on lock-down until the matter can be investigated, so it is imperative that the code be correct. If the sector goes to lock-down..."_

She did not need to finish the thought.

"Bren can't slice into this one?" Fives said hopefully.

"_Negative,"_ Nala Se replied._ "There are a multitude of fail-safes and programs on these panels; any sort of tampering will immediately trigger the alarm."_

"The panel by the main door was pretty standard," Brenna added, swallowing. "Difficult, but not impossible. If I had plenty of time, I could probably figure this one out, too, but..."

Fives sighed, then shifted from side-to-side. "Right, right. I understand."

Brenna took another breath; it was no longer cold, here, because she had started to sweat uncontrollably beneath the body-glove, and it was an effort to force her hands to relax enough to stop trembling. "I'm ready."

A pause, then Nala Se replied. Brenna was acutely aware of the others gathered around her, that they were all holding stock-still, waiting as her gloved hand lifted and pressed against the numeric keypad on the panel. She said each number back to Nala Se before entering it, in order to confirm that it was correct. It was unnerving how the panel did not seem to indicate whether or not she'd entered anything at all, let alone correctly; she figured that they wouldn't know if it had worked until the entire code had been input, and she was hardly able to breathe for her nerves, for all that she tried to push them aside.

Nala Se said the final number. Brenna repeated it, then reached for the corresponding key on the panel that had been so silent. She pressed once, and her breath caught.

* * *

Everyone was in position, and just in time, too. As Rex watched the speeders approach the main house, his hands tightened on his blaster-rifle and he was filled with resolve, because he had so much to fight for. There were three speeders, each one containing two or three passengers, and from his position crouching behind a few barrels beside the paddock, Rex had ensured that he had a clear view of the attackers.

"They're coming up," he murmured into his comm. "Everyone be on your guard." A moment later, he nodded to himself as the others acknowledged his words: Jesse was stationed at the wind-pump; Kix was kneeling behind a cluster of bushes beside the main house; Caith and Jensine were crouched within the interior of the house itself, and he knew that each of them was as ready as he was.

Lifting a pair of electrobinoculars to his eyes, he skimmed each passenger's face to get a better sense of what he and his brothers would be dealing with. Standard-thug types, he saw at once: a motley assortment of males and females, mostly Humanoids armed with modified weaponry. Rex scowled to himself. What in the nine Corellian hells were they doing out here? They didn't look like any pirates he'd seen, and it was highly unusual for anyone to come to a little ranch in the heartlands of Alderaan to commit robbery.

Then he saw _her. _

_Iridonian female, about a meter and a half tall, tan skin, red hair..._

Suddenly, Rex was not on Alderaan any longer; he was back on Loronar, watching the woman he loved be led away by some _shabla, chakaar, _miserable excuse for a life-form, someone who intended to separate Bren from her family and use her for their own, petty schemes. Fury overtook him as he realized that these _di'kutle_ were members of the Red Star Ring, and that very likely they'd come searching for his wife, either to enact revenge for the death of their leader or to take Brenna away, again.

But he didn't give a kriff about any of that, because all that mattered to Rex was that these criminals had come to _his _home, to threaten _his _family, and he'd be damned if he'd let them get away with it. It gave him a tiny measure of satisfaction knowing that they had probably not anticipated encountering a group of trained soldiers, and he decided that none of the thugs would be leaving Alderaan alive.

"Everyone: we're dealing with the scum who kidnapped Bren," he said into the comm as the speeders slowed their approach by the house. He'd have preferred a handful of dets to toss at the vehicles, but his blaster-rifle would certainly do the job. "As soon as they're clear of the speeders, open fire. There are to be no survivors."

There was a hiss of static, then he heard Jess and Kix answer: _"Understood."_

"_You're sure it's them?"_ It was Caith, and he sounded nervous.

"I'm positive." Rex watched as the speeders halted and the passengers began to disembark; they were wary as they looked around, perhaps wondering where everyone was. Well, they were about to find out.

He took a breath, then spoke again, pitching more authority into his voice. "Kix; you're closest to the speeders, so focus on disabling the vehicles first, in case any of them attempt to make a break for it. Jess; you and I will open fire on the count of three."

Both of his brothers answered in unison. _"Copy that, Rex."_

_Just like the good old days._

He took a deep breath. "One."

The group was too clustered for him to get a clear shot at the Iridonian female, so he aimed for a barrel-chested Human man beside her, resting his index finger lightly on the trigger as he sighted up. The Human man first, then the Iridonian if he could manage the shot. Rex's eyes narrowed. "Two."

A flutter of discussion broke out among the intruders, and from what limited words he could make out, he thought they were about to split up and start searching the house. They were sloppy but they were well-armed and numerous; they would probably put up a decent fight.

Rex didn't care. They were already dead. "Three."

His finger squeezed the trigger, and all hell broke loose.

* * *

Thank the Force, Nala Se's code worked.

At first the lab was dark, but the moment that Brenna stepped inside, the motion-sensors caught her presence and activated the lights, revealing rows of gleaming, glass doors set into the walls, behind each of which were shelves containing hundreds of thousands of vials and containers. The entire room was several degrees cooler than the rest of the area, and faint, blue lights were placed within each unit, illuminating the room with a soft glow. Though the ceiling was high, overall it was a small space and Brenna realized at once that herself and the three clones would not all fit comfortably, so she glanced behind her where Chopper, Fives and Coric were standing by the doorway.

"It's a bit cramped...maybe just one of you come in and the others stand guard?"

The clones exchanged glances, then Fives stepped forward and joined her in the room, and they began to survey the area as Nala Se spoke over the comm, repeating the complex scientific name of the compound they were searching for. For a few minutes, Brenna and Fives scanned each shelf, looking for the appropriate item amidst rows and rows of containers that all looked remarkably similar.

Finally, Fives looked up and spoke, his voice edged with excitement. "Over here, Bren."

"Is it...?" She crossed the room in a few steps, coming to the former ARC's side before one of the glass doors.

"I think so. Third shelf from the top; five rows in." He read the name of a particular compound aloud, and Brenna's heart leaped when Nala Se confirmed that was the substance they were searching for. At the Kaminoan's word, Fives glanced back at Brenna, the lights of the refrigerated unit glinting in his visor. "You want to do the honors?"

Taking a breath, Brenna reached for the door; there was no lock, so she pulled open the metallic handle and surveyed the contents of the unit. Filled with an innocuous, clear liquid, the vial they needed was so small, barely bigger than her thumb, but there was a line of identically labeled ones behind it, nestled in a container made to hold them upright and stretching all the way back into the cooler.

"How many should we take?" Brenna asked the Kaminoan. "We'll need enough for as many clones as possible."

There was a brief pause, then Nala Se replied._ "The compound is highly concentrated. Only a very small amount will need to be added to the dosage; I recommend extracting six vials."_

Nodding, Brenna pulled out the container that held the vials and began removing them, starting from the back, so that if anyone happened to stop by, they might not notice that any were missing. Fives propped the door for her as she did so, and as she collected the vials, she handed them to the former ARC to tuck in his belt. Once she'd passed him half a dozen, she took another six to place in her own belt, just in case. After a pause and a glance at Fives, she took a dozen more, because it didn't hurt to be prepared, did it? It wasn't like they could come running back here if they needed any more.

Besides, Rex had a _lot _of brothers.

Even after taking so many, there were still a good amount left, and after she replaced the container and shut the door, it was difficult to tell that they'd taken any at all. The interior of the door was foggy from being open, but there was nothing to be done about that right now, so she looked at Fives again and began handing him some of the extra vials she'd taken. "I think we're done, here."

"Good," he replied, patting the pouches on his belt where he'd stowed the vials. "This place give me the creeps."

"Nala, we're leaving," Brenna said over the comm. "Is there anything we need to do to the door once we're out? A special closing or locking code?"

"_Negative,"_ the Kaminoan replied, something like relief in her voice. _"It will lock on its own."_

_Thank the Force. _

They moved back to the exit, where Coric and Chopper had been waiting; before they left the laboratory section, Brenna made sure that everyone had six vials in their belt, just in case the group was separated for any reason. There was a moment where she debated getting a few more vials, but she decided not to push their luck any more. Once the door to the lab was secure, Fives took point and they hurried down the corridor, to the exit.

Brenna didn't want to get her hopes up, but as she and the others reached the door that led out of the lab sector, she couldn't help but feel a twist of excitement in her gut. They were so close...

"_Guys, hang on,"_ Ahsoka said suddenly. _"Don't come out yet...those guards came back. They don't seem to want to cooperate with my Force-suggestions."_

Fives cursed, but the four of them held still beside the door, waiting. Several long, long seconds ticked by, and Brenna felt her excitement shift to pure, heady fear. They'd come so far; they were so close to completing their mission...she refused to believe that _now_ everything would go awry. It couldn't, it just couldn't, there was so much at stake, so much riding on this moment, and in her mind's eye she could see Rex and Iri, and hear her promise to return to them reverberating with each stilted breath.

Finally, _finally, _Ahsoka spoke again. _"You're clear, but hurry. They're gone for now, but I don't think it will last very long."_

Someone exhaled in relief as Fives activated the door and they stepped through. "How long do we have?" Coric asked as the door shut behind them.

Ahsoka's reply was wry. _"As long as it takes them to use the 'fresher."_

"Well, that depends..." Fives began, but he seemed to think better of finishing the thought, instead indicating the way out. "Let's just go. Hey, Mar...?"

Marliss' voice broke in, relieved but determined. _"We're on our way back. We'll rendezvous at the hangar in ten."_

Fives also sounded relieved. "Copy that, love. See you in ten."

For Brenna, the journey back to the hanger was a long stretch, mostly consisting of trying to walk calmly despite the race of her heart and the sweat that was pooling at the base of her back. However, she was also light and nearly giddy with joy, because she was carrying the key to Rex and his brothers living normal lives. She hardly remembered much of the return journey to the hangar, because she kept thinking about his face when he saw her again, when she'd get to tell him that it would all be okay, that his aging would be normalized...

As they reached the hangar and Ahsoka joined them once more, the _Shereshoy_ appeared before them, seeming to wink into existence from empty air. The group boarded quickly, but it was not until the ship was exiting Kamino's atmosphere that the celebrating started. Fives whooped and embraced his wife, kissing her so hard that she nearly fell of of her chair; the other clones clapped each other on the back and hugged Brenna as well; Ahsoka grinned and hugged them all, too.

Nala Se stood a few steps away, examining one of the vials that Bren had provided her immediately upon entering the ship; she seemed wholly absorbed in the task, so Brenna figured it was something of a surprise when Coric approached her and offered to shake the Kaminoan's hand.

* * *

_On Alderaan..._

While Rex watched, the Human man went down with only a startled yelp of pain, but at the sound, his companions broke into action and within moments they'd taken up defensive positions crouched between the speeders. Rex tried to see the Iridonian, but he couldn't make her out among the others, so he just kept firing. He had Jesse had the brief advantage of surprise, so they were able to pick off a few more while the intruders scrambled to defend themselves. Kix's aim was also true, and Rex noted with satisfaction that his brother took out one of the speeders with efficiency, aiming for the fuel tank first and the repulsors next.

Sadly, the speeder did not explode in a fiery ball, as Rex had been half-hoping, but the sudden shots certainly startled the Red Star Ring into another bout of confusion, one that seemed to heighten when Kix turned his attention to the next of the four speeders. Focusing all his attention on his mission, Rex managed to drop two more gang members, then another, and another; Jesse did much the same. Of course, the intruders returned the fire, but dodging the bolts was like second-nature for the clones.

For several minutes, everything was smoke and blaster-shots, and a part of Rex slid back into the routine of fighting with ease; how many hours of his life had he spent doing just this? The fire-fight was similar to many of the battles he'd lived through, and he knew with grim determination that there was _no_ way he was going to lose this fight.

It was cool and blustery, and at first the wind carried away most of the smoke and the scent of burning plasma, but before long it began to clog up the air and Rex lost a little visibility. He did his best _not _to hit the house, but a few of the Red Star members were not as considerate, and he felt a new kind of anger within him as he watched scorch-marks appear on the Damaris' home.

There! He saw the Iridonian female crouching behind the speeder farthest away from Kix, who was still working to disable the third one. Gritting his teeth, Rex let loose a stream of blaster-fire towards her, but she ducked to avoid the bolts of plasma and they passed above her head.

However, he'd succeed in frightening two other members of the gang, a Twi'lek and a male Iridonian, who broke away from the group and tried to flee. Jesse took them both down with a few, well-placed shots.

There were only a few members of the Red Star Ring left, one of whom was the Iridonian, and Rex felt another surge of fury when she happened to meet his eyes from across the yard. He wondered if she recognized him from Loronar, if she'd even seen him when she'd taken Bren away. Rex did not have the Force, so he could not project his emotions or thoughts onto another life-form, but he tried to make his feelings as clear as possible through his gaze.

_You will lose this fight, _he thought as he lifted his blaster-rifle to fire at her again. _You will not live to see another sunrise._

Of course, he had no way of knowing if she'd understood, but he thought he caught a gleam of fear in her eyes right before she lobbed off a round of blaster-bolts in his direction, causing him to duck as splinters of wood sprayed from the barrels he'd been crouching behind. When he popped back up, he saw that she'd made a break for it, perhaps thinking that it was time to beat a hasty retreat.

_Kriff no, you don't. _

"Jesse, Kix," he barked into his comm as she leaped for the nearest speeder, the only one that the medic had not yet disabled. "The Iridonian...take her out!"

Rex fired, fired, kept firing, but she was faster than the others and he only managed to get a shot off on one of the repulsors before she had maneuvered the vehicle out of his line of fire, leaving a trail of smoke in her wake from the damaged equipment.

Rex was a thinking man. Rarely did he take any action without first considering the outcomes, ramifications and any steps needed to accomplish his goal, but he had also learned to trust his instincts, especially in the heat of a fight. So it was that he had no clue what he said to the others, only that he darted from his hiding place and hurried towards the paddock, where he'd left Nova, who had taken to trotting skittishly in light of the sounds and smells of battle from the house.

Getting to a speeder would take too long, and Nova was already saddled. Rex vaulted over the fence and hurried to the quagga, speaking to her in low, soothing tones as he approached. Time was so short, but if she bolted, he'd have no choice but to get a speeder.

"Easy girl," he murmured as he came over to her. "Good girl. Good _Nov'ika..._"

Large ears swiveled his way but she did not move, and allowed him to mount her with one, fluid motion. Once he was seated and his blaster-rifle was slung in its holster on the saddle, Rex cast a look in the direction of the smoke that was trailing from the speeder. If they hurried, he knew they could catch the Iridonian.

"Alright, Nova," he said, urging the quagga for the paddock gate, which was unlocked but closed. He brushed it aside with his foot and then nudged Nova into a gallop. "Let's go get that piece of rankweed."

With a whicker that he imagined was agreement, Nova took off, and together they raced across the pasture.

* * *

_Good thing Rex chose to stay behind, eh? ;)_

_This is one of my favorite chapters; it was a ton of fun to write. _

_Thanks for reading!_

_Next time: Don't mess with Rexter..._


	34. Chapter 34

_FYI, the first time I added this chapter, I got an error message saying the link was out of date, so I deleted and re-added it. Now I keep getting error messages for other chapters, review replies, etc., so I guess it's FFN just being wonky. :P_

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Four**

Every iota of Rex's concentration was focused on the trail of smoke left in the wake of his quarry's speeder. He'd lost a few precious moments of the fading light getting to the quagga and leaving the paddock, but Nova was fast, and he knew that she was as familiar with this terrain as he was.

And the Iridonian's vehicle was failing her.

The speeder was close, perhaps only a few hundred meters ahead, and although the Red Star Ring's ship was in sight, Rex was determined that the Iridonian would not be allowed to board the vessel.

In order to give Nova a greater freedom of movement, Rex lifted his body up from the saddle, holding himself in place with his legs and leaning over the quagga's striped neck. As he watched the speeder start to cough and sputter, expelling more smoke, he urged Nova on just a little faster, hoping to close the last of the distance between himself and the one who'd caused Brenna so much pain.

Despite Nova's speed and the failing speeder, the Iridonian was getting too close to the gangsters' sleek ship, and Rex knew at once that his window of opportunity to end this _now_ was fading faster than the daylight.

"Alright, _Nov'ika_," he murmured as he lowered himself back down to sit deeply in the saddle. "Make me proud." Nova's pace slowed just a bit, but he urged her forward, propelling her across the pasture towards the Iridonian's ship.

Rex gripped the reins with one hand and used the other to pull his rifle free of its scabbard, taking care to keep his movements steady as the quagga galloped on. He dropped the reins completely and placed both hands on the rifle so that he could raise it to his eye-level and aim. There was a moment of uncertainty where he wasn't so sure he'd be able to keep his seat, but Nova's gait was familiar and smooth, and he held his balance.

The speeder gave out several meters before the base of the ship, stopping with a cough and a final sputter, and Rex watched as the Iridonian leaped from the vehicle to race for the ship's hatch. A strange, shadowy shape stirred beside one of the landing struts, but Rex hardly noticed it because he knew that once the Iridonian reached her ship, once she was locked inside, he would have no way of getting to her and she'd be able to leave Alderaan.

Rex couldn't let that happen.

As the Iridonian rushed past the strange shadow everything seemed to slow, and suddenly Rex had all the time in the world. He moved his body in tune with the quagga's and aimed as best he could given Nova's pace. The Iridonian's boot touched the edge of the loading ramp. Rex's finger squeezed the trigger.

That was when the shadow seemed to separate from the gangster's ship. In the dusky light, the shadow became a the dark, hulking form of the mountain anooba as it struck. The Iridonian shrieked once, but the sound was strangled when the anooba fell upon her throat, and beneath Rex, Nova gave a terrified whinny and wheeled away from the ship and the predator. By the time he'd managed to turn her around, the anooba was bent over the Iridonian's lifeless body and in the last of the daylight, he caught flashes of crimson staining the ground.

The anooba had finally taken a life and Rex was not the least bit sorry. But still, it wouldn't do to have a predator who did not fear humanoids lurking around the property, so once he and Nova were facing the anooba again – at a safe distance – he switched the setting on his rifle to "stun," aimed, and fired. The mountain anooba collapsed in a heap and suddenly the evening was very quiet.

It was only a few minutes before the others reached his position, during which time Rex made sure the Iridonian was dead, checked on the anooba's unconscious form, and gave Nova a heaping of praise. The sound of approaching speeder made him tense at first, but when he realized who was coming, he relaxed and lifted his hat in greeting. Dusk had all but fallen and the overcast sky was still a steely gray color. The wind had picked up and Rex took a moment to lament that he'd not had time to grab his coat before he'd taken off.

Jesse was driving, with Kix, Caith and Jensine in tow, and Rex watched his brother pull the vehicle up beside him. Soon, everyone was congregated around Rex and Nova, looking at the Iridonian's body. At first, no one spoke.

Finally, Kix glanced Rex's way. "The others are dead, too. It's over."

Rex nodded but made no other reply as he knelt beside the Iridonian again. She looked smaller than he remembered, more fragile. It was difficult to believe that she'd done so much damage. Beside her, the anooba's chest rose and fell in its drugged sleep, and he realized that he couldn't kill the damn thing, not now. In a strange way, he felt connected to the animal, and he knew that he did not want it dead like he had before. Perhaps they could just transport it somewhere far away.

He glanced back up at the others, his eyes falling on Caith and Jensine. "The kids are okay?"

"They're a little scared, but Edme said they were doing well," Caith replied with a nod. "They don't really understand what happened, but she had them engrossed with a portable holo – with earphones."

That was good. Rex hadn't considered how the sounds of battle would affect the children, but he was grateful that someone else had done so. _As soon as she's old enough, _he thought, rising to his feet. _Iri's going to start learning to protect herself. _

He didn't want his daughter to be afraid of anything, if he could help it.

"What are we going to do about...this?" Caith added, gesturing to the ship. "I'd rather not have to explain to anyone else where we got this ship. Something like this could bring a lot more trouble."

He didn't need to mention the dozen or so dead bodies of the Red Star Ring members either, because Rex was well-aware of the fact that their compatriots might come for them and the cycle would never end. It was best to get rid of any evidence that the Iridonian and her allies had been here at all.

Jensine was standing beside Nova, running her hands along the quagga's form and alternately looking between the quagga, the blaster-rifle slung in the saddle, and the anooba; Rex watched as she seemed to think something over, then understanding and – he thought, he hoped – a bit of pride flared within her gaze. However, at Caith's words, she glanced up at her son. "Put them on the ship and set the coordinates for the sun."

"Not a bad idea, but it would take way too long," Jesse said, hand on his chin in thought. "But...we could fiddle with the navacomputer; make the ship leave atmo, turn around and attempt a re-entry."

"We want them _gone_, Jess," Kix replied with a frown.

The tattooed clone grinned and slapped the former medic's shoulder. "I said _attempt_ a re-entry, Kix. Didn't say it'd be a _successful_ attempt. A few adjustments on the angle of approach, and the wind resistance would be too much for a vessel like that to handle. It'd get burned up by sheer friction."

"As would anything inside of it," Rex added, though he frowned as well. "The fireworks might cause a bit of a stir among the locals."

At this, Jensine glanced over from her place beside Nova. "I think it's a risk worth taking, son."

_Son. _Rex met the blonde woman's eyes and she gave him a nod; it was a curt gesture, but he saw the approval in her eyes, so he nodded back. "Sounds like we've got a plan," he said, looking back at Caith and his fellow clones. "Let's get to work."

* * *

Their efforts lasted for the better part of the night.

When it was done, the bodies of every Red Star Ring member were placed aboard the ship, along with the speeders they'd brought, and after a little tweaking, Jesse was able to set the navacomputer on a most unusual course; once they were all ready, he'd bring the engines online and begin the process. The still-unconscious anooba was secured in one of the sheds. It was decided that first thing in the morning, Edme would contact a member of the local animal control unit who would pick it up and transport it to a safe location, and Rex was glad that it would survive, after all.

It was the last few hours before dawn by the time they were ready to send the ship off. Jesse had set a timer on the nav, giving everyone plenty of time to return to the main house to watch the spectacle, so it was that Rex found himself leaning back in one of the chairs on the rear patio with the others, a bottle of ale in one hand and a sleepy Iri curled up on his lap. Normally, he would have wanted his daughter to be in bed at this hour, but she seemed to sense that something important was happening and wanted to be a part of it, so he obliged her.

"You awake, _Iri'ka_?" he murmured into her ear. In response, she snuggled closer to his chest and heaved a sigh,which made him smile. She'd been soinsistent on remaining outside; of course, _now_ she would probably sleep through the entire thing. Rex curled his free arm around her and rubbed at her arm, hoping that she was warm enough in her sweater and beneath the blanket he'd placed over the two of them.

Jesse and Caith sat beside one another at the long, wooden table; Edme and Tav were with them, the little boy apparently sharing Iri's desire to see what had gotten the adults so worked up. Jensine and Kix sat with Rex on the patio chairs, and every adult had a drink in hand, as the occasion felt celebratory in a way. The only thing that would have made this moment better, of course, would have been the presence of Bren and the rest of his family, but Rex took a measure of satisfaction in the fact that his wife would be safe, at last.

No, it was more than a _measure_ of satisfaction. To Rex's way of thinking, he'd done his job; he'd kept Iri safe and he'd defended his home. The understanding moved through him like the gusts of near-winter wind that had caused everyone to bundle up in layers of coats and blankets. Against his chest, his daughter sighed and pressed her body closer to his, utterly relaxed in his embrace, and he thought, _this is the way it should be._

Of course, he was still worried for Bren and the others, but it was not as fierce of a worry as it had been, prior to the attack from the Red Star Ring. He trusted her, trusted Ahsoka and his _vode_, and he found that he had faith that they would return to Alderaan...eventually. Rex was a patient man, but he wouldn't have minded instant gratification this _one_ time.

Everyone was exhausted, but the feeling of excitement in the air increased when Jesse held up the datapad that he'd set up to activate the gangsters' ship remotely. "It shouldn't take more than a minute or so to burn up once it hits atmo again. Everyone ready?"

There was a chorus of "yes," and the tattooed clone chuckled as he activated the 'pad. "Here we go."

Rex felt Iri's head lift at the words. They all watched in silence as a bright flare of light erupted from the far pasture and the ship lifted towards the sky, which was still overcast. Moments later, the ship vanished into the thick cloud cover. Rex glanced at Jesse and noted that his brother was counting silently, his lips moving as he stared at the datapad. Finally, Jesse grinned, pressed something on the 'pad and glanced back up.

It began simply. A burst of flame illuminated the clouds, briefly reminding Rex of a destroyed Umbaran supply ship; as the Red Star Ring's vessel began to fracture, torn apart by the friction in the atmosphere, he could see chunks of it come loose and begin to stream through the clouds, appearing as bright points of light before they burned into harmless ashes. There had been some worry as to whether or not the ship fragments would impact the planet's surface, but Jesse had thought that they likely wouldn't even reach the ground.

"I love it when I'm right," Jesse said, taking a sip from his bottle even as his face was turned up to the sky. The others murmured in agreement; Caith's arm was around his wife's shoulders; Tav had clambered to Jensine's chair and was wrapped in a blanket beside his grandmother; a faint smile was on Kix's face as he watched the display. For a brief moment, everyone was bathed in light that seemed to glow from within the clouds themselves.

"Pretty," Iri sighed. "See, Daddy?"

"I see it, Iri." Rex hugged her closer and watched the final pieces of the ship fade to nothing in the atmosphere. It was over.

* * *

Back on the _Shereshoy, _Brenna could hardly wait to get out of the armor, but it was easier said than done. The pieces were numerous and more complicated than she remembered, and she was having trouble figuring out how they detached from the body-glove, which was starting to be _very_ uncomfortable against her chest. However, she was reluctant to bother anyone else, as Marliss and Fives were engrossed with piloting the ship after they'd sent a brief message back home, while Chopper was napping and Coric was deep in conversation with Nala Se.

So she'd taken to one of the cabins and decided to try on her own, at first. But it wasn't easy.

When the light rap sounded at her door, Brenna was twisted almost completely around, trying to figure out how to remove the chest-piece as she stood in the center of the cabin. At her word, the door opened and Ahsoka peered inside, her eyes falling on Brenna and a faint smile coming to her face. "Need some help?"

Brenna looked up at the Togruta and sighed. She knew that pieces of the armor were hanging off of her haphazardly and she probably looked silly, but all she could think about was getting out of the kriffing body-glove, so she nodded. "Thanks."

Ahsoka smiled again and stepped inside, her brow-lines furrowing as she approached Brenna. "I think I remember some of this," she said as she began to work at the fastenings on Brenna's shoulders. "At least," she amended hastily. "I watched the guys do it enough that I _should_ remember."

There was the faintest edge of nerves to her words, which made Brenna wonder, but before she could ask, Ahsoka spoke again. "Rex said that some of your memories have returned, but I haven't had a chance to talk to you. How are you doing?"

"Better," Brenna replied as Ahsoka tugged at the fastenings of the armor. "Not everything has come back. Honestly, I'm not sure they all will, but..." She trailed off and thought of Rex, bathed in the golden light of their tent and asking her to marry him. "I'm trying to make new memories."

"That sounds like a good idea," Ahsoka said, making a noise of satisfaction as the chest-plate fell loose. The Togruta set it on the bunk with a brush of the Force, then gave Brenna a knowing look. "Those shoulder-things are a pain, too. Would you like...?"

"Yes, please," Brenna replied with a smile. Ahsoka nodded and set to work on the left spaulder, and for a few minutes it was quiet. Finally, as Ahsoka removed the spaulder and moved to set it aside, Brenna spoke again. "Rex has been...wonderful. I couldn't do this without him, and I'm so grateful to you for finding me, and for helping us with...everything. I know he's grateful, too."

Ahsoka smiled, but did not release the plastoid piece from her grip; instead, she seemed to study it for a moment before she looked back at Brenna. "I've known Rex a long time," she said slowly, her sienna fingers tightening over the armored plating. "At first, he was a teacher, like my Master, but later...he became a friend. My best friend."

A faint smile appeared on her mouth and her gaze turned distant for a moment before she spoke again. "I've seen him pleased. I've seen him tired and injured; seen him sad and angry and lost. I've seen him smile – only a few times." She paused and they exchanged a smile at this, then the Jedi took a breath and continued. "I've seen him broken. But Brenna, I've never seen him so happy as he is with you and Irini."

Still clutching the spaulder, Ahsoka met Brenna's eyes again, and there was hesitation in her eyes. "He used to...care for me," she said, slowly, as if measuring the words against Brenna's reaction. "Like...as more than a friend."

Brenna frowned. She had no idea if it was something she'd known before, or if this was the first she'd heard of it; likely the latter, as the way Ahsoka was practically radiating nervousness seemed to indicate that she thought Brenna had never known. Brenna supposed it made sense that Rex had at one point developed feelings for the young woman he'd fought beside; she thought it was probably something that happened naturally, when one worked and fought and bled with someone they found compatible. Rex cared for Ahsoka, Brenna knew that. She remembered his account of the night of Order 66, how he'd done everything in his power to make sure that his friend, who was stricken and helpless at the time, made it to safety.

Idly, she wondered why he hadn't told her that he'd had a "crush" on Ahsoka at one point, then shrugged the thought away. It didn't matter. Rex had never given her a reason to doubt him, at least in her memory, but even if she couldn't remember everything that had passed between them, she trusted him completely.

Besides, the past was gone. All she had, all anyone had, really, was _right now. _

Perhaps mistaking Brenna's expression for anger or annoyance, Ahsoka touched the brown-haired woman's arm. "It was a long time ago, and it wasn't...real, Brenna," she said, her eyes earnest. "It was a crush. That's it. And it was...one sided, at the time." Here, her montrals flushed as she cleared her throat. "I'll admit, when I first met him I was kind of...caught up with him, too, but it faded as I got older. He's my best friend...he's like a brother."

The Togruta still seemed a little nervous, so Brenna reached up and patted Ahsoka's hand. "It's okay," she said with a smile. "I don't think I knew all that, so I'm glad you told me. But...it doesn't matter, now."

Relief swept across Ahsoka's face as she nodded. "No, it doesn't. But I wanted to talk to you about it, anyway, because-" She paused again and looked uncertain, then seemed to reach a decision. "Rex told me that you guys got married, and I wanted to congratulate you."

Thinking back to when Ahsoka had first appeared on Alderaan, just before they'd left for Kamino, Brenna remembered how much more at ease Rex had seemed, knowing that the Jedi was coming with them. He trusted Ahsoka, and she thought it was in a slightly different way than he trusted his brothers. _Best friend_, Ahsoka had said. _Like a brother_. It made sense, now.

Maybe in another time she'd have been annoyed or upset at the realization that their "secret" was not a secret, but Brenna didn't fault her husband for wanting to share something like this with someone he was close to. In fact, she could probably stand to learn from him, as far as her dealings with her own family were concerned.

_Besides, I trust her, too,_ she thought, then smiled at the Togruta. "Thank you," she said. "It's...nice that someone else knows."

Until she said the words, she hadn't known they were true, and she sighed inwardly as she wondered how upset her mother would be upon finding out that Bren had essentially eloped _and _kept it a secret. She offered another smile to Ahsoka and shifted her other shoulder; they'd stopped working on removing her armor during the conversation, so they continued for a few moments before Brenna spoke again. "I can never thank you enough for everything you've done. Not just bringing me back," she added as she looked at Ahsoka. "For being such a good friend to him, too. For being there for him when I couldn't be."

Ahsoka's head ducked in a nod. "I'm glad to help him. Rexter's a good guy."

"Rexter?" Brenna giggled. _I'll have to mention that, later. _Most of the portions of her armor were off, so she took a seat on the bunk and lifted her left foot in order to remove the boot. "Ah, that's right...you can tell me all about Rex in the early days. Did you know him as a shiny?"

Laughing, Ahsoka shook her head, then settled beside Brenna, folding her knees and resting her elbows upon them. "I don't think that Rex was _ever_ a shiny, even when he first left Kamino. But, there was this one time, when we were searching for a holocron..."

* * *

_Thank you for reading! _

_Next time: coming home, again. :)_


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter Thirty-Five**

When she returned to Alderaan this time Brenna knew she was coming home, but it was not until the hatch of the _Shereshoy_ lowered and her eyes fell on Rex and Iri again that she knew she'd made it.

Fives had made a brief comm-call to Alderaan once they'd left Kamino to say that everyone was fine and they'd been successful in their mission, but Brenna figured that Rex – and the others – had probably worried a great deal, anyway.

It was around lunchtime. The sky was overcast and blustery, but it was not an unpleasant feeling to be touched by the sweeping winds of her homeworld. Around her, Ahsoka, Marliss and the others were waiting to disembark as well, though everyone seemed to stand out of her way, just a little bit, as if silently agreeing to let her off of the ship first.

Brenna met her husband at the edge of the _Shereshoy_'s loading ramp, and at first neither she nor Rex spoke; he only took her in his free arm and embraced her with a strength that should not have surprised her any longer. He kissed her mouth, then her cheek. He murmured into her ear and the way his voice shaped the syllables of her name told her he'd missed her more so than anything else he could have said. When they parted and she looked at him as she took Iri in her arms, she could see the traces of worry in his eyes even though there was only a smile on his face.

Their daughter was not as laconic in her greeting.

"Mama home!" Iri shrieked, looping her arms around Brenna's neck and giggling happily as her mother laughed as well.

"I missed you, too, sweetheart," she replied. As she held Iri close, Brenna inhaled the scent of her child and silently thanked the Force that she'd returned to her daughter once more.

"Mama! Mama! See pretty lights?"

As Brenna embraced her daughter, she glanced at Rex. "What's she talking about?"

The rest of Brenna's family had gathered around them, greeting those who'd returned from the mission; at the question, Caith, Jensine, Edme, Kix and Jesse glanced between one another, as if uncertain of what to say, exactly. Finally, Brenna's mother reached forward and embraced her daughter and granddaughter, exhaling as she did so. "We had some unwelcome visitors," she said as she hugged Brenna. "But we took care of everything. Welcome home, Brenna."

As she thanked her mother, Brenna glanced at Rex, who was greeting his brothers; he gave her a somewhat abashed half-smile, which she thought meant he'd tell her everything, later.

"You got it?" Kix was saying to Coric after all the clones had clasped arms.

In response, Coric pulled one of the little vials that Brenna and Fives had collected free from the case they'd brought along for this purpose. He passed the vial to the other medic, who studied the object intently before handing it back, where Coric stowed it in the case, which he then presented to Nala Se. The Kaminoan accepted it with a nod.

"Now I have everything I need," she said in her lilting accent. "I should be able to have serum ready within the week. However, you should be aware that there may be a number of...unpleasant side-effects while the serum does its job."

"Side-effects?" Chopper broke in; he was standing between Caith and Coric, arms folded across his chest. "What sort of side-effects?"

Nala Se blinked once. "Your bodies will likely react to the serum – not as if it is a cure for an illness – but as if it is a foreign presence that must be...fought. As such, I anticipate that your body temperatures will rise above normal, you will most likely experience muscle-soreness, digestive issues and general fatigue. I am uncertain exactly what will occur," she added, glancing from one clone to another. "Or how long it will take for your system to stabilize. I recommend that at least one or two of you test the serum before it is disseminated among the others."

Brenna watched as Rex's brow lifted, but before he could respond, Kix held up his hand. "I volunteer."

The other clones looked at him, but he only shrugged. "It's worthy cause. Besides, medically...well, it's fascinating stuff, isn't it?"

"I volunteer as well," Jesse added. "Not so much because I find it 'fascinating,' but because I'm not...attached to anyone." He paused and glanced between Rex and Fives, then continued. "If something goes wrong-"

"It will not," Nala Se broke in, her voice pitched to be soothing. "But that is a commendable attitude."

Out of the corner of her eye, Brenna saw Rex inhale, though he nodded after a moment. "Alright; Kix, Jesse...thank you."

"Once we know it works," Fives spoke up, his arm around Marliss' waist. "We'll need to figure out a way to get it to as many brothers as possible. I know a few guys on Mandalore who'd be interested."

"Me too," Ahsoka added. "Well, I don't know anyone on Mandalore, but I do know of a few pockets of clones who would probably like to know about this."

At these words, Brenna noticed Rex's breath catch. Suddenly, he seemed very lost in thought, and she wondered if he was thinking of brothers that he'd known, brothers that he'd like to see again.

Following this, there were a few more minutes of discussion and planning, though eventually Jensine urged everyone into the kitchen where she had – naturally – prepared a rather substantial meal for the travelers. The meal was boisterous and celebratory, but it was not until everyone had converged in the sitting room to share the details of their adventures that Brenna learned the truth of what had occurred while she and the others had gone to Kamino.

Zoea was dead.

Rex hadn't known her name; Brenna didn't remember if she'd told him, but it mattered very little now.

"It's over," her husband murmured to her. They were seated close together on one of the sofas, Iri nestled between them and totally engrossed in a holo-film Caith had put on to – hopefully – keep the younglings from interrupting with too many questions.

Brenna nodded, but did not immediately reply. Around them, the others were still talking, but her attention had turned inward. She remembered her time with Arcas and Zoea too well; it wasn't fair, really, and she wondered how long it would take her to recover from the trauma, or if she ever would.

But she had her family, still. She had people who loved her, whom she loved back. She had a passion, an ability that allowed her to help others and make the most of her life. Brenna knew that she had so much more than so many in the galaxy, and that, with any luck, the life that she was building with Rex would only get better.

After a moment she reached for her husband's hand. "It is over. But I think something else is beginning."

* * *

_Approximately two and a half months later..._

Everything hurt.

On top of the hurting was intense, searing nausea, and on top of _that _was a general feeling of mugginess, like Rex's head was filled with cotton and his body with lead. Moving was pretty much out of the question, but that was okay, because he had nowhere he wanted to go; his mission, as he saw it, was to weather the hurting, the nausea and the mugginess in order to come out the other end a whole man. As he rested in what had been dubbed "the recovery room," the guest bedroom in the main house, Rex had never been so miserable in his entire existence.

But it was a small price to pay for what lay ahead: the rest of his life.

Once the serum had been prepared, Kix and Jesse had tested it; after about a month, the blood-tests that Nala Se had conducted on them proved beyond any doubt that the cure was indeed working, and that any clones who underwent the treatment could look forward to a normal life-span, provided they could suffer through a month or so of unpleasantness.

Well, it was a great deal more than unpleasant, but he refused to let on just how much to anyone but Brenna, when she would stay with him. Sometimes she would do her work in the room and he would allow himself to drop off into sleep while listening to the gentle beep of her datapad; sometimes she would curl up beside him and lightly rub his chest and stomach, which was soothing; sometimes she would read to Iri – quietly – and they would both fall asleep nestled beside him. Those were the times he liked best, and they were what made the physical discomfort of the past two weeks somewhat more bearable.

Today, he was sleeping. Well, it wasn't sleeping so much as trying to focus on each breath and convince his body to relax, maybe to drift into blessed unconsciousness for a while; Ahsoka probably would have said it was a form of meditating, but Rex had no clue about that. All he knew was that focusing on breathing was better than trying to ignore the roiling in his gut and the soreness in his entire body, which Nala Se said was the result of his cells attempting to fight what they perceived as a threat in the cure. Eventually, the cure would win the battle for his blood and his body would relent.

Rex took a deep breath as another wave of nausea hit him. Victory couldn't come too soon.

It was early afternoon, he thought, for the house was quiet, indicating that those who were on Alderaan at the moment were outside. Once the cure had been proven to work and the former ARC had weathered through it himself, Fives and Marliss had left for Mandalore. Not long after Bren and the rest had come back from Kamino, Ahsoka had left again, though she had plans to return very soon and take several vials of the cure to her contacts.

The room was cool and dim because he was sensitive to light and he'd been running a slight fever – all apparently part of the acclimation process – and it was peaceful. Strangely enough, he didn't do too much thinking these days, as every spare bit of mental energy was focused on _not _vomiting every five minutes. The cure sometimes made it difficult to keep food or water down, so Kix and Coric had rigged an IV beside the bed for emergencies and every day Brenna would try to get him to eat something simple, like muja sauce.

While he normally would have despised being treated like an invalid, Rex felt like five kinds of _osik, _too much so to worry overmuch about how he was being treated.

"Rex?"

Bren's voice broke over him like a wave lapping across a sandy shore, and he peeked his eyes open enough to make out her form as she stepped into his room, closing the door behind her. She was alone; he figured that Iri was with the others. She studied him for a moment, perhaps to see if he was awake, so he opened his eyes further and gave her the best smile he could manage. "Hey, Bren."

_Fek_, he sounded awful, hoarse and croaky, but she only smiled and approached the bed. She sat on the edge – carefully – and turned to face him, running her left hand over his chest and forehead, assessing his current state. A moment's observation told him that she had something in her right hand, and he wanted to ask what it was, though a ripple of nausea kept him silent.

But her touch was soft and welcome, and he felt his body relax a bit more, because there was nothing better than her, here, with him, even in his sorry state. His eyes closed as she brushed her fingers against his jaw, his lips, his forehead, and he sighed when her hand dropped to his stomach to make the soothing rubbing motions that always made him feel just a little bit better.

"How are you doing?"

Eyes still closed, Rex inhaled to gather his strength before he replied. "...'m fine."

There was a light chuckle from her, then her hand lifted and he felt the mattress shift as she leaned beside him, resting her body along his own carefully, so not to disturb him overmuch. He sighed when her hand made its way back to his stomach and considered trying to move enough to put his own arm around her shoulders. Moving was generally not advisable, as it only made the nausea worse and aggrandized the soreness. As if in protest of even the _thought_, the churning in his gut increased from bad to horrible and he was unable to bite back a groan.

Bren murmured his name, then rested her head on his shoulder as he felt her arm shift so that it was hovering just above his chest, as if she were holding something up for him to see. "Can you please open your eyes, Rex?"

He did so and felt his brows knit as he studied the slender little object in her hand. The room was dim but not completely dark, and he could make out a tiny screen of some kind at one end of what appeared to be a stick made of flimsi. "What's...?"

She took a breath. "It's a pregnancy test."

_That_ made his eyes open wider, and he actually turned to her despite the combined assault from the soreness and the nausea. There was a moment where he was able to tilt his head to give her a querying look, and she replied with a tentative smile. "I didn't want to take it until you felt better, but I couldn't wait anymore."

He had a notion of how the tests worked, and glanced back at the slender object. "When did you take it?"

"Not long ago," she replied, leaning her head back to his shoulder. "We should know in a matter of moments."

Rex inhaled again and stared at the tiny display area on the object; the nausea had faded somewhat from his immediate attention, and he found himself counting the seconds as they ticked by. Just as he was about to ask her how much longer, the word formed.

YES

For a moment they were both silent. The thoughts that had been moving through his mind at such a sluggish pace began to race along, and he swore he could feel every beat of his blood through his veins. There was a burning in his eyes that made him blink rapidly and he could feel his breath start to quicken. Still lying against him, Bren lifted her head and regarded him as if searching for a reaction. "Rex...did you see?"

_To hell with feeling like _osik_. _

"Yes," he managed, then he wrapped his arm around her because he needed to embrace his wanted to laugh or at least smile, but despite his resolve all he was capable of was the one movement of his arm, because even that was enough to make his stomach roil in protest.

But if she knew any of that she said nothing, simply tilted her head up to his and kissed him gently on his cheek. "I'm happy...are you?"

Rex looked at her and opened his mouth to say, _yes, of course I am, _followed by, _I love you so much, _but what came out was a far cry from those words. "I'm...going to be sick."

It was immediate, but thankfully he did not get sick on her. Instead, he just barely managed to make it to the waste-basket set beside the bed for this purpose, and after a few moments of retching, he flopped back down and groaned. "That's not...because of the news."

She laughed. "I know."

He took a breath and looked at her again. Now that the edge had been taken off of his nausea, he was able to speak a bit more clearly. "The moment I'm over this...cure, you're getting kissed within an inch of your life." _And ravished, _he thought about adding, but decided against it. She probably knew, anyway.

Bren chuckled and leaned against his chest again, and this time he wrapped both arms around her and inhaled the scent of her hair. "I _am_ happy," he murmured after a moment. "A little terrified, but mostly happy."

Suddenly there was so much he had to do, to learn, to plan, but for now, being together was enough. They lay in silence for several minutes, then she sighed. Concerned, Rex glanced down at her. "Are you okay?"

"We should probably tell the others," she replied, a frown in her voice.

Rex furrowed his brows. The nausea was starting to return, but it wasn't bad yet, so he took a breath before he spoke, running his hand across her stomach. "Well...I imagine they'll figure it out eventually."

"I mean about...us. Getting married." At first he felt the movement of her body as she chuckled, though she sighed a beat later. "Mom's going to be upset she didn't get to throw a wedding."

He considered for a moment, then tilted his head down to her, trying to ignore the waves of nausea that were growing stronger with each breath. "Maybe...we could get married again? Is that something people do?"

"Like...have a second wedding for our friends and family?" she asked. He nodded and she seemed to consider for a moment, then she smiled. "I don't see why not. We can keep the first one just between us. I think I would like Iri to see us get married."

The mention of his daughter filled him with joy and terror, because Iri would have a sibling soon, and he still wasn't quite sure he was up to the challenge. Well, right now he didn't feel up to much of _anything_, so he tried to set his insecurity aside and focus on the joy instead. A deep, deep breath allowed Rex to push back the worst of the nausea for the time being, while a moment of concentration let him sit up a bit more in order to better regard her.

As she gave him a curious look, he took another breath and met her eyes. "Brenna Damaris, will you marry me...again?"

Immediately, a huge smile spread across her face, and she laughed as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body close to his. "Yes, Rex. I will."

While he welcomed her closeness, the sudden pressure on his stomach was _not _a good feeling, and Rex knew that he was about to retch again, so he extricated himself from her embrace as quickly as he could and just barely made it to the waste-basket in time.

_Oh, shab. Way to kill the moment._

Once he was done, he leaned back against the pillows, scrubbing his hand over his face as he did so. "Another new memory for you," he managed, grimacing. "Sorry, Bren..."

A touch at his chin; when he looked at her he saw that she appeared to be fighting back a chuckle even as there was sympathy in her eyes. "I'll take every memory of you I can get," she replied as she ran her thumb across his jaw. "Even the not-so-great ones."

"I guess this qualifies," he replied, though his eyes had drifted shut with her touch. A moment later he was leaning back against the pillows and she was pressed close to his side again, gently rubbing his stomach, and despite being in the worst physical state of his short – not for much longer – life, Rex thought that nothing had ever been better than _right now._

* * *

_It was important to me to have the cure not be an easy – or quick – fix to the clones' rapid aging. Nothing comes without a price, and I felt that something like this, essentially rewriting their genetics, would come with a high price-tag. But it's worth it. :)_

_From this point on, things will progress at a quicker pace, as we have a bit of ground to cover in order to tie up all those plot-threads I've been weaving. _

_Thank you for reading. _

_Next time: Dress-fitting. :) _


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter Thirty-Six**

_Approximately one month later..._

Outside, it was threatening to snow; the cloudy sky was heavy and white, and the air was sharp with cold. It was warm inside though, and the brightness of the sky added a pleasant, cool undertone to the light of Brenna and Rex's bedroom, where Brenna, Jensine and Edme were gathered for what was shaping up to be the first of many, many dress-fittings.

"Mom, it's _fine,_" Brenna huffed.

Jensine continued to tug at the waist of Brenna's dress, frowning as she did so. "You're going to be much bigger come spring. We need to make sure that the dress will still fit you for the wedding."

There were notes of irritation in the blonde woman's voice, and Brenna wondered if the constant dress-fittings were a subtle way of her mother expressing further annoyance over being kept out of the loop. After she'd learned she was pregnant, Brenna had made a trip to Dr. Bores in Belleau-a-Lir; following the assurance that everything was developing normally, and as soon as Rex had been feeling well enough to join the family for dinner, the two of them had informed the adults that she was pregnant and they'd be getting married that spring.

The kids had been watching a holo in another room at the time, as Brenna wanted to wait a little bit longer before telling Iri that she'd be a big sister, soon. As they'd agreed, neither Rex nor herself had made any mention of the Mandalorian ceremony, which was going to remain their secret.

After they'd shared the news there had been much hugging and kissing of Brenna's cheek, as well as laughter and nudges at Rex's ribs. A flurry of speculation had broken out, and before either Brenna or Rex knew what was happening, Jensine had taken command of the bulk of the wedding planning. It was to be expected.

However, Brenna was starting to wish she'd never said anything at all, especially as her mother kept tugging on the waist of the dress, glaring at the garment as if it had wronged her in some way. "It's just not right," Jensine said with a shake of her head. "I don't think it will look right on you once you start to show. Maybe the fabric is too silky..."

Edme, who had a few skills as a seamstress, gathered the length of material that made up the skirt and ran it through her fingers. "It's a good, soft texture. It's very flattering." She smiled at Brenna, who took the expression to be a show of support. "I think it will look lovely."

Brenna smiled back, even as her mother sighed and stepped aside, surveying the dress with pursed lips. "Hmm...maybe. I have my doubts, though."

There was still a distinct edge of criticism to her mother's voice that made Brenna want to scowl, because she _liked _the dress: sleeveless, ivory pale, with several embroidered vine patterns running vertically along the skirt. The cut was such that it would provide her growing belly with enough room several months down the road. It wasn't ornate or overly expensive, but it was well-made and she thought it suited her, and she hoped Rex would like it as well.

Again, she found herself fighting back a sigh of exasperation at her mother, but Edme spoke up before either Brenna or Jensine could say anything further.

"I'm glad you're waiting until the spring," the copper-haired woman said as she stepped back to admire the full effect of the dress. "It's so beautiful out here, especially then. I love when the grass turns green again, and everything is bright and alive for miles all around."

Edme's tone was wistful, and a glance at her showed Brenna that her sister-in-law's gaze had turned to the window, beyond which they could make out the mountains. "You have the hydendock trees by your house, though," Brenna said, thinking of the times she'd been out to the house since her recent return to Alderaan; it was a lovely place, much smaller than her mother's home, but cozy and pleasant. "They'll be beautiful when they bloom later in the spring."

"They are, but there's something so...open out here," Edme replied, looking back at Brenna as Jensine knelt to fiddle with the hem. "I love this place. I always have."

"Yes, but having a wedding right at the start of foaling season?" Jensine muttered, examining the hem as if checking the stitching. "I don't see why you had to wait to get married."

Brenna's memories of her childhood were still foggy, even though she'd spent hours and hours looking through the old pics and holos that chronicled those earlier days out here. Some things, though, remained in her mind: the scent of sun-kissed grass; buzzing gadflies darting among the quagga; a warm, gentle wind that caressed skin and coaxed hats to tumble to the ground. So, she had no firm memory of spring on Alderaan, but she had a fairly good idea of what to expect when the season turned.

"Because it's cold and miserable right now," Brenna replied. She grasped a handful of material and gently plucked it out of her mother's hands. "And Ed's right; spring out here is bound to be lovely."

"Oh, it is," Edme said with a grin. "_Very_ romantic."

Jensine sighed and stood back up, crossing her arms and studying Brenna's reflection in the mirror. For a moment the three of them were quiet, taking in the sight, then Jensine exhaled again and looked at her daughter. "I suppose it will work out. Anyway, I always knew you'd make a beautiful bride, Brenna. I just wish your father could see you."

The kindness in her mother's words was wholly unexpected; they were filled with warmth and affection, and Brenna felt a sudden, burning sensation behind her eyes, because she realized that she was glad she'd have the opportunity to share this experience with her mother, despite any bickering that might ensue, especially since she only had one parent alive. Of Garris Damaris her memories were patchy, but she wondered how much was due to the fact that she'd been so young when he died, and how much was due to the side-effects of the hycosine. _I wonder if Dad would have liked Rex?_

Brenna took a deep breath. There was pain at the thought of her father, because her memories of him were so spotty, more so than the others that she was still trying to reclaim, and she wished that it weren't so. But it was, so she tried to accept the pain and then let it go with an exhale.

"I'm just glad you found Rex," Jensine added. "He's an excellent quagga trainer. Done more with Nova than I ever could have; in a couple of weeks, those folks at the midwinter auction won't know what hit them." The words were loaded with admiration, as if Rex's best quality was how well he interacted with the equines, at least according to Brenna's mother.

"Mom."

Brenna sighed, but Jensine continued, a trace of mirth appearing in her pale blue eyes. ''But more importantly, he's a good father to Irini and a good man in general. I have no doubt that he'll make a fine husband to you."

Before Brenna could reply, there was a light rap at the door, followed by Rex's voice. "Bren?"

"No!" Edme called out, hurrying to the door as if to lock it. "Stay out, Rex!"

"It's bad luck to see the bride in her dress before the wedding," Jensine added with a shake of her head. "One of the oldest traditions around."

There was a pause, then Rex spoke again, his voice bewildered. She could imagine his perplexed expression, and the image made her smile. "Bren? Can Iri and I talk to you when you're...available?"

"Just a second," she replied, gathering up her dress and preparing to step out of it. Several minutes later, she was back in her pants and sweater and she'd shooed out her mother and sister-in-law. When she opened the door, the first thing she saw was Iri, in Rex's arms and giving her a curious look.

"Baby in Mama tummy?" Iri asked brightly while her father stepped in the room.

Brenna looked at Rex, who gave a somewhat abashed smile. "Jess let the wampa out of the cave," he said, setting Iri on the floor and glancing around the room with caution, as if ensuring that the wedding dress would not jump out at him.

"I figured that was our cue to talk to her about everything," he added with another glance at his wife. They'd discussed the matter a fair bit, so they each had some idea of what to say to their daughter, but Brenna had hoped to wait a bit longer before sharing the news with Iri

Where the three-year old normally would have clambered up to the bed to nestle in the pillows and blankets, she remained standing, casting inquisitive looks up between her parents. "Mama has baby in tummy?"

The adults exchanged glances, then Brenna bent to pick up her daughter; she sat at the edge of the bed, and Rex took a seat beside her, putting his arm around her shoulders. "Yes, Mama has a baby growing in her tummy," Brenna said with a pat at her stomach. "My tummy will get bigger and bigger soon, and eventually, we'll have a new baby."

"You'll be a big sister," Rex added, a note of pride in his voice. "And I know you'll be a wonderful one, _Iri'ka_."

"Yes, you will," Brenna said, smiling at Iri's thoughtful expression. "You'll be able to show your new brother or sister so much, sweetheart."

Rex spoke up next. "Do you have any questions, Iri?"

There was a pause, during which Iri seemed to consider her response. Brenna felt Rex tense beside her; they'd discussed appropriate responses to all of the potential questions that Iri could ask, but she knew he still had his reservations about exactly what information Iri would want. Finally, the toddler looked between her parents. "Watch faan-taa holo?"

"Sure, sweetheart," Brenna replied with a smile. "Why don't you ask Nana to put it on for you?" The little girl giggled and clambered out of Brenna's arms, making a beeline for the door.

Once Irini was out of the room, Rex gave her a wry look. "That was easy."

Brenna laughed and leaned into his side as she looked up at him. "For now. I imagine once she processes the idea, she'll have all kinds of questions. She's thoughtful...just like you."

He smiled. The expression was filled with pride and love, and Brenna rested her head on his shoulder, wanting to be as close as possible to this man. She felt Rex's arm tighten around her shoulders, then he kissed her forehead. "Feeling alright?"

Nodding, she shut her eyes and inhaled his scent. "You?"

"Never better."

There was a pause, then his voice turned querying and slightly apprehensive. "Your mother and Edme were just kidding about the dress thing, right?"

She couldn't help but chuckle at this, so she sat up and met his eyes. "Sort of. I think it's one of those old traditions that nobody knows where it came from but they still follow. Something to do with arranged marriages, which used to be pretty common on Alderaan, from what I understand."

Rex's brows had knitted at the mention of arranged marriages, but he seemed to shrug off his question in light of reaching up to cup her cheek and kiss her mouth, gently. "I'm sure the dress is beautiful," he said when they parted. "But I'd marry you even if you were wearing a pillowcase."

"What about armor? It was a lot more flattering than I thought it'd be...and so practical, too." She tried to say the words completely deadpan, but lost it when he pulled a face.

Seeing her giggle at his expense, Rex replied with a look of mock-sternness, then grabbed her middle and pulled her down on the bed alongside him, nuzzling her neck in an extraordinarily ticklish way in order to make her squeal in protest, which she did. Finally, after she was gasping for breath he pulled back and shifted so that he was leaning over her. "_No_ armor," he said firmly, adding: "please," a moment later.

Brenna smiled and touched his cheek. "No armor. Just a dress."

He bent to give her a swift kiss, then laid back down beside her, and they were both quiet for a few minutes; the sounds of one of Iri's favorite holos had begun to trickle through the house, and Brenna could hear their daughter and Jensine laughing. She sighed and turned her head to look at Rex, who met her gaze. "Mom doesn't like the dress I picked out, of course," she said, trying not to sound overly petulant. "But my options are limited...I'm not going to be the same size when spring gets here."

Rex shifted again, turning on his side and propping his head up on his hand, while he rested his other palm on her belly, above her sweater. "Do _you_ like the dress?"

"It's perfect."

He shrugged. "Then I think it's your call, not hers."

"Of course it is," Brenna said with an exhale. "But I just hate bickering with her over every little thing. I wish she could just...back off sometimes, you know?"

"You still want to go through with the wedding?" His voice was calm, but his eyes on her held a trace of uncertainty. "We don't have to, you know. We're already married...this is sort of for everyone else."

Even through her clothing his hand on her belly was warm, and she placed her right hand on top of his as she added: "Yes, I do still want to go through with it. I'm really happy that she's – that everyone's – going to be there. Especially Iri; I think she'll have a blast. I think we all will...it's just that Mom drives me crazy, sometimes. Some things don't change, I guess."

Something changed in his expression; his face turned speculative and he said nothing for a few minutes, instead slipping his hand beneath her sweater and rubbing broad circles against her stomach. Finally, he glanced at her again. "I got a comm from Fives earlier. Looks like he and Marliss made it to Mandalore without any issues; the others there are going to disseminate the cure as much as they can, but there are a few more places that Fives wants to visit. He mentioned Ahsoka, too. Said he met with her on Onderon and passed along some of the cure for her to spread around as well."

"That's good," Brenna said with a smile. "Any clone who wants the cure should be able to get it."

Rex nodded; again, she saw something in his eyes, something thoughtful and – she thought – a little wistful as well. At first she was curious, then she remembered that he'd worn much the same expression when Ahsoka had mentioned providing the cure to as many clones as they could. A name he'd mentioned flickered through her mind: Cut Lawquane. A former soldier, just like Rex, who'd chosen a similar path, albeit before her husband had even known such a thing was possible. Brenna recalled the day after their impromptu wedding, when he'd told her about Cut, and she could see the gratitude on Rex's face as he spoke of the other man.

Cut would probably want the cure, too, especially if he had a wife and children to live for on Saleucami. Contacting a humble farmer in the backwoods of the Outer Rim world would not be easy, especially with the limited range of her equipment. Her mind began to race as she thought over the logistics of such a thing.

"Cred for your thoughts?"

Rex's baritone voice broke her out of her reverie and she blinked at him, then pressed his hand tighter to her stomach. Outside, it was cold and blustery, but the snow-light that came through the window cast him in a soft glow, and she thought, _maybe, just maybe, I can surprise him._ In the meantime, she cleared her throat. "Do you think Ahsoka would be able to come to the wedding?"

"I hope so," he replied. "I can ask her." He paused, then exhaled in a long, slow breath. "She might want to bring a date."

"That's fine," Brenna said, shrugging. "Even though it's going to be small, Mom will probably have enough food for an army."

Because not everyone was certain how the clones would be received by the Damaris' friends and neighbors, the wedding was set to be relatively small in order to limit the amount of exposure to the former soldiers. Only folks that Jensine knew had no love for the Empire were to be invited, and if anyone asked, Rex's mother had simply produced a large number of boys who looked strangely alike, and no, there was nothing odd about it at all.

But all of that was a long way from right now, and Brenna was lying beside the man she loved, so she lifted her hand from his and wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him close, kissing him because they had a few, precious minutes to themselves, because she enjoyed it, and because there was nothing else in the galaxy she wanted more.

* * *

_Two weeks later..._

If anything, Rex thought it was even colder in Belleau-a-Lir, at the edge of Lir Lakir, than on the Damaris' ranch in the mountains, but it wasn't too bad beneath his coat and hat. It was a beautiful day for an auction; the sun was shining in the cloudless sky and the cold air seemed to refine everything, making each color brighter and more vibrant.

"Good girl, Nova," Rex murmured, patting the quagga's striped neck as he ran the brush across her side. In response, she gave a low whicker, but remained standing calmly in the open-sided stall, eyes heavy-lidded in enjoyment of the grooming and the attention from her favorite Human – or so Rex fancied himself.

Aside from the occasional flick of her ears towards a passer-by, Nova seemed unconcerned with the presence of so many strangers and new stimuli, which pleased the former captain. When Jensine had mentioned that she thought Nova would fetch a good price, he'd done a bit of research on events such as the midwinter Belleau-a-Lir consignment auction, and learned that a quiet, well-trained animal was bound to fetch a better price than one who appeared skittish and nervous. Many hours had been spent in training the quagga: ensuring that she would take any rider, listen and follow every command, and anything else he could think of. Nova was no longer concerned with the sound of blaster-fire, and she would happily carry a child just as well as an adult.

Already, it seemed that his efforts were paying off. Several potential buyers had stopped to chat with him this morning, and he had not missed the way their eyes lingered on Nova's glossy coat – winter-thick, but not shaggy or unkempt – and the vivid array of stripes that rippled down her muscular neck, and he'd already had to refill the spec-sheets in the container that was attached to the side of the grooming stall. Even those who did not pause to speak with him studied her, and he was convinced that Nova was the finest quagga present at this auction, even among the others that Jensine and Caith had brought.

Right now there was a young couple standing a few paces away from the Damaris' paddock, glancing over Nova's spec-sheet and murmuring to one another. The man, a dark-haired fellow about Caith's age, glanced at Rex, who offered him a nod but said nothing else. Rex stepped to the side to put the brush back in the grooming kit, both to give them an unobstructed view and show that Nova was just as content on her own as she was with her handler.

"Oh...Maric," the woman said, her voice a little breathless. "She's beautiful. And it says here she'll take a child rider as well."

There was a pause, then Rex heard the man reply as he busied himself with the grooming kit. "She is pretty, Clera, but we really should look around a little more..."

Despite his words, his tone was wistful, and Rex smiled to himself. He glanced at Nova, who had finally taken an interest in the couple. Her ears were lifted and pointed towards them, and her nostrils were flaring as she took in their scent; with the morning sun shining down on her coat, Rex knew that she looked impressive and judging by their enamored expressions, the potential buyers thought so, too. Logically, he knew that Nova didn't understand what was happening, but he felt a flash of pride when she arched her neck and seemed to preen, just a little, under their attention.

_Good girl, _he thought, biting back a chuckle as Nova regarded the young couple. Clera laughed and smiled up at her husband, who smiled back, then murmured to her; they shared a nod, then turned to leave, but Rex had a good feeling that he'd see them again.

"Rex!" The sound of his name made him turn, and he lifted his gloved hand in greeting as Caith and Tavi approached, the former carrying a datapad. "Got the line-up for the auction this afternoon," Caith said as he held up the 'pad. "We're lucky; all of our quagga have pretty good slots – about an hour after lunch, so buyers should be full and hopefully ready to spend some money."

"Good to hear," Rex replied with a nod. With Nova groomed and the auction starting later on, he didn't have much to do now, so he leaned against the paddock fence, Caith joining him a moment later. "How are Jensine and Kix?"

The mention of his mother made Caith roll his eyes skyward. "When we left, Mom was about to start arguing with another seller about the scales being used to weigh all the bundles of wool. So, I guess 'normal' might be a good answer."

This was the first time that the vilpaca wool was to be sold, so Jensine had asked Rex to oversee the quagga for the most part, while she dealt with the new challenge, and admittedly, he was not surprised to hear that there was trouble brewing.

"Kix is with her, right?" he asked. As long as the level-headed clone was around, Rex figured that everything would work out well, but he was never quite sure with Brenna's mother.

"Yeah. He said he'd make sure no punches were thrown."

Before Rex could reply, Tavi tugged on his father's arm. "Can I go see Nova, Dad?"

The brown-haired man nodded and his son meandered towards the quagga, who dropped her head and snuffed at the little boy's ear while he patted her side. The men stood by and watched for a moment, then Caith shot Rex an appreciative glance. "You did a really good job with her. Mom's delighted with how she turned out."

Pleased, Rex nodded, but said nothing for a moment as he regarded Nova and Tavi, the latter of whom was clearly delighted with being snuffed by the striped equine. Nova was good with kids, he'd made sure of that, and while it pained him a little to have to sell her, he knew that he'd done the best he could, and that she would make her new owner happy.

Tavi giggled and patted her nose, the sight of which made Rex smile. He thought, absently, that he'd like a son. Or another daughter.

It didn't matter, really.

As it had done every time it crossed his mind, the thought filled him with an odd mixture of apprehension and joy, as did most thoughts of the child – his and Brenna's child – that was developing within his wife. Sometimes he could hardly believe it was happening; she had only just started showing, and he'd seen pics of her from when she'd been pregnant with Iri, so had an idea of what was coming. The thought of her belly, round with _their_ child...

Rex released a breath, because he suddenly felt unable to contain the feeling of joy that had overwhelmed the apprehension. With each thought of the new life that he'd helped create, other thoughts were fast on its heels; there was so much he needed to do, to plan, to prepare. Sometimes it was enough to make his head spin, though he tried not to let worry for the future consume his thoughts. Instead, he inhaled again and savored the smells of oats, hay, and-

Well, manure didn't smell so great, but the scent was easily ignored.

"Too bad Bren couldn't make it out this time," Caith said, leaning back against the fence as he watched his son. "She said she had work?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Rex spotted Maric and Clera returning; the young couple was meandering towards Nova in a manner that suggested they were trying to seem nonchalant, so he allowed them their illusion and focused on Caith. "Yeah. She's been up to her eyeballs in freelance work, lately, but it's not always as consistent as she'd like. I know she'd rather have something more stable."

The situation was a bit tricky, because she wanted to work from home, to be with him, Iri and the soon-to-be little one, but freelance work was sometimes difficult to come by, and she was afraid of having too large a gap between jobs. Rex hadn't been able to find a solution to that problem, yet, but he was considering his options.

"It's tough right now," Caith said with a nod. "I'm lucky I can do all of my work from home, and Ed doesn't mind the commute to the school. Actually..." He paused and pursed his lips, his eyes scanning the paddock as if searching for something. "Ed and I are thinking of moving out to mom's house."

Something _pinged _in the back of Rex's mind; it was like a warning, but of a positive sort. "Are you?"

The bearded man smiled at his son, who had taken to walking along the paddock's perimeter, appearing to examine every inch. "Even with everything you and your brothers are doing, she could still use the help, and it is a family business," Caith replied, leaning back against the fence and toying with the hem of his shirt. "The three of us love it out there, too."

There was something in his tone, an unspoken question, and Rex ran his brain through all of the potentials before replying. "You have a nice little place," he said at last, thinking of the occasions he and Brenna had spent in the modest blue house that wasn't too far from the Damaris' ranch. "What would you do with it?"

Caith met his eyes and grinned. "Actually..."

* * *

_We're drawing near the end...less than ten chapters left. (Including the epilogues.)_

_Thanks for reading!_

_Next up: Brenna's new/old memory._


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter Thirty-Seven**

Before Rex could say anything, a familiar voice drew his attention.

"Excuse me? Are you her owner?" Glancing over, Rex noted that Maric and Clera were standing in front of Nova again, each of them wearing expressions of forced neutrality, as if he had no idea how eager they were.

_Ah, civvies. _It was kind of endearing, actually, and they seemed like a pleasant enough couple.

As he approached, Rex tilted his hat in greeting. "I'm just her trainer," he replied in an genial, professional tone. "The fellow behind me is technically-"

"We're all part owners, sir," Caith broke in, leaning away from the fence. "Every Damaris quagga is family-owned and trained." He called to Tavi, who trotted across the paddock to meet him, and tousled the boy's hair affectionately. "We're going to go check on my mom," Caith added with a nod to the couple, who were smiling as Tavi scowled and tried to smooth out his rumpled hair. "Rex here will take care of any questions you have. Enjoy your day."

"Dad...don't _do _that!" Tavi grumbled as they walked away. "I'm not a baby, anymore!"

Rex missed Caith's reply, as he'd returned all of his focus back to the couple. For a moment he was a bit at a loss, as he'd never had to do anything even remotely like this, then he shook the feeling away and decided to treat this occasion as he would have any other mission. "Rex Damaris," he said, offering his hand to Clera, then Maric. They gave their names and he offered another tilt of his hat afterward. "Nice to meet you both. Were you interested in Nova?"

"Nova?" Clera glanced at the spec-sheet; the quagga's names were generally not listed, only any notable bloodlines, along with other practical information. "That's a lovely name. How did you choose it?"

There was nothing Rex could say to that, as Nova had her name when he'd first met her, but the question touched him. How did you give someone a name? He glanced at the quagga and ran his eyes over her form; Nova's name suited her so well. Had it always been so, or had she grown into it? "I'm not sure," he admitted after a beat. "I wasn't the one who named her."

Clera gave him a warm smile. "It's still a lovely name. Isn't it, Maric?"

"We're just looking right now," Maric replied in a business-like tone, giving his wife a look that was only a little exasperated. A moment later, however, he shot Rex a careful glance. "It says here she's good with kids? She seems pretty young..."

"Nova's three," Rex replied, patting Nova's neck and smiling at the memory of riding with Iri. "But she's quite gentle. My daughter loves riding her, though she's a bit young – I sit in the saddle with her, just in case."

Clera glanced at her husband, then looked back at Rex. "How old is your daughter?"

"Nearly three and a half." He paused, and looked between the young couple. "Do you have kids?"

At this, Maric drew himself up and grinned, embracing the now-blushing woman beside him. "Just found out a few months ago we're going to be parents."

Rex smiled at them both. "Congratulations. That's wonderful news."

"I'm terrified, actually," Maric confessed, his voice dropping in pitch. "Cler's handling it like a champ, though."

The blonde woman gave a light laugh. "It's a little overwhelming at times, but we're happy. It's part of the reason we're here, today," she added with another, warm look at the quagga. "I used to ride all the time as a girl, and thought it'd be nice for our child to have the same opportunity whenever he or she gets old enough. In the meantime, Maric and I can enjoy riding her."

Nodding, Rex indicated Nova again. "I know she may seem young, ma'am, but she'd be a good choice for a beginning rider. We've been through a lot, together."

He'd tried to keep his voice professional, but perhaps some wistfulness leaked through, for Clera cast him a warm look. "You really care about her, don't you?"

Nova whickered and ducked her forehead towards him, as if begging for a scratch. Rex obliged her. "I do," he replied with a smile as Nova's eyes closed with pleasure. "But that's life, I suppose. You do the best you can and you move on when the time comes." He paused, then looked between them, meeting each of their eyes in turn. "I just want to make sure that she goes to the right home."

The couple exchanged glances; Clera's expression was very deliberate, but Rex could still tell that they were trying to play it cool. He liked the couple, though, because they seemed genuinely kind, and he thought that Nova would have a good home with them, which was maybe why he was pushing a little harder than he might have, otherwise. Rex didn't fancy himself a salesman, but he knew that his words had made an impact on Clera and Maric, and he found himself hoping very much that Nova would go home with them.

A moment later, Maric cleared his throat and looked back at Rex. "We should get going," he said, offering his hand to shake. "But maybe we'll see you in a few hours, Mr. Damaris."

"I hope so, sir," Rex replied.

_Hours later..._

When Rex clasped Maric's hand again, he noted how the other man made no effort to hide his excitement, now.

"That turned into quite the bidding war," he said as Clera finished signing the necessary flimsiwork before passing it back to Jensine. "You really fought for her."

Maric nodded; his eyes swept over to Nova, who was back in the grooming stall, happily munching on a few strands of hay from the mesh feeder hanging beside her. "We think she's worth it."

"I know she is," Rex replied with a nod, and the other man beamed at him. "And I know you'll take good care of her."

"We'll arrange for a trailer to pick her up," Clera was saying to Jensine as the bill-of-sale was exchanged. "It shouldn't take more than about half an hour."

Jensine nodded and thanked the younger woman, who then turned to her husband and Rex. "We'll take the best care of her, Mr. Damaris," Clera said as she took her husband's hand, preparing to head off into the crowd. "I'm glad she's coming home with us."

Rex smiled at her, then indicated the bill-of-sale that she was holding. "Me too. If you have any issues, though, please contact me. And congratulations on your soon-to-be little one, again."

The blonde woman's cheeks flushed but her smile was very wide. Seemingly on a whim, she reached out and shook Rex's hand, then she and her husband turned and walked away.

Once they were out of an earshot, Jensine clapped Rex's back. "Holy kriffing hell...I don't know what you said to them, but I've _never _had a quagga sell for that much."

"I told them the truth," he replied, feeling a flash of alarm course through him as he recalled his words to the young couple. As far as he knew, he'd only been forthright, if a little too eager...

Jensine laughed and thumped his shoulder again; she was a good deal shorter than him, but her movements were very strong. "I know you did, son. I'm just impressed, is all. You should savor it," she added as she reached into the inside pocket of her jacked and withdrew a small, leather-bound booklet. "It doesn't happen too often."

Before he could reply, Rex caught sight of Caith, Kix and Tav, who were approaching, laden with food that they'd collected from some of the vendors. They'd gone to fetch dinner while Rex and Jensine had remained in the paddock to help load the quagga who'd sold, as it was growing late and no one had had time to eat lunch.

Because he was straining to see if Kix had grabbed him a kor vella twist like he'd asked, Rex didn't see the slip of flimsi that Jensine was offering him until she nudged his shoulder. Looking down, he frowned at the paper, which had his name and quite a large number written on it. "What's this?"

Jensine sighed. "It's your share."

"Of...?"

Brenna's mother gave him a look that was only a little exasperated. "Of the sales today."

His eyes widened and he glanced back down at the figure again, his mind racing through the calculations. "This...this is too much," he managed after a moment. "I haven't-"

"You have," Jensine replied with a lifted brow. "And then some. Rex...every quagga that you practically laid a hand on sold for more than I expected, not to mention that bidding war over Nova that broke out between that couple and those other potential buyers. You made the Damaris family a lot of money, today," she added, a smile creeping to her face. "And – as a member of said family – this is your rightful share."

Rex felt his mouth open, but no sound came out, so he looked back at the flimsi again. It was more money than he'd ever _seen, _let alone thought he'd possess, and he found that he was utterly speechless. His amazement was most definitely visible, because Jensine chuckled and gave him a knowing look. "A young man like you with a growing family has to plan for the future," she said. "You're very skilled, you know. You could make a living doing this."

Her arm lifted to indicate the auction, Nova and the other quagga, everything. Rex looked up and around, noting that Tav had paused by a cloud-candy stand and appeared to be cajoling Caith into buying some. All around them, people milled about, buying and selling and living their normal lives, and he realized that he was one of them. It felt...well, it felt pretty damn good.

"I do enjoy working with the quagga," he said at last, looking back at Nova in her stall, thinking that he would say goodbye once they were alone.

"Good to hear," Jensine replied with a nod. "Because I'd like to offer you a partnership in the business. It'd be official; you'd get a percentage of all the profit, and if today's any indication, I think it's a pretty lucrative deal."

Rex didn't answer, at first.

It wouldn't be an easy job, but it was work he enjoyed. It was...fulfilling, he realized. He thought of Clera and Maric, so eager to welcome their child into the world, as well as welcome Nova into their growing family. He thought of Iri, delighted with the quagga; he wondered if it was a love that would continue as she aged. He thought of the hours he'd spent on Nova's back, watching the Alderaani sky.

He thought he was pleased at the idea of not having to destroy for a living, but rather create something, instead.

But he wasn't sure if Bren would want to remain here, even after all that had happened the last time they left. "I'd like to say yes," he said slowly. "But I'm reluctant to make a unilateral decision without speaking to Brenna."

Something flashed in Jensine's eyes; he thought it was approval, but it was so hard for him to get a read on her, sometimes. "Nothing's set in stone. You can change your mind if you and Brenna want to make other arrangements."

That was comforting. Rex glanced at Nova again, then looked back at Jensine and held out his hand; she accepted, and her grip was firm. "Then I accept your offer," he said with a nod. "Thank you, Mrs. Damaris."

She rolled her eyes, but he could see that she was pleased. "For kriff's sake, Rex. Just call me 'mom.'"

* * *

_That evening..._

It had taken a little detective work to track down this particular farmer, but Brenna finally managed to get a message to Saleucami.

Once she made sure that the message had been sent without error, she exhaled leaned back against the chair at her workstation, placing one hand on her thickening middle and rubbing the heel of her other hand against her forehead, where she felt a headache forming. In addition to that, her breasts were sore, her back hurt, and waves of nausea were rippling through her at a rather alarming rate, but her self-appointed mission was complete.

All she had to do now was hope for a reply.

A creaking floorboard sounded, and she glanced at the door to see Nala Se's ducked head as the Kaminoan entered her room, holding Iri's sleeping form. With Rex gone to the auction and a pile of work to do, Brenna had asked Nala to watch Iri for a few hours, a task that the Kaminoan had taken on with as much eagerness as Brenna had seen her do anything; her daughter had seemed happy with the arrangement as well, which was the best part.

"Apparently the little one is ready for her sleep-cycle," Nala Se said, her gray eyes swirling with affection as she studied the child in her arms.

Brenna glanced at her chrono and winced, realizing that it was later than she'd thought. She pushed herself out of her chair, trying to ignore the nausea as she approached her daughter and the Kaminoan. "Thank you again for watching her, Nala," she said as she lifted Iri from the Kaminoan's grasp. Iri's hair was damp and she smelled like soap. "Did you give her a bath?"

"Much of Irini's evening meal found its way to her face, neck and arms," Nala Se replied, an edge of concern in her tone. "I thought that cleansing was the proper course of action. Was that incorrect?"

"No, it's fine," Brenna said, fighting back a chuckle at the Kaminoan's terminology. "Thank you for taking such good care of her."

Her daughter's face was slack with sleep, lashes resting on chubby cheeks and lips slightly parted. Brenna held her close and slipped past Nala Se and moved to the room that the children shared; Caith and Tavi had returned several hours ago, having left the auction a bit early so that the boy could get home in time for dinner, and her nephew was already in bed, fast asleep after his own exciting day.

Soon enough, Iri was in her pajamas and curled up in her bed, and after Brenna kissed her goodnight, she and Nala Se left the bedroom as quietly as possible. Once they were in the hallway, Brenna smiled up at the Kaminoan. "I heard her laughing from up here...sounds like she had a lot of fun. You're really good with her."

"I enjoy spending time with her," Nala replied, glancing towards the kids' room. "She is a lovely child. And you are feeling well?"

This was said with a look at Brenna's midsection. Sighing, Brenna nodded. "Well enough. Being pregnant is much less fun than I remember..."

Her words trailed off as the realization hit her. She _remembered _being pregnant. The nausea, the exhaustion, the unpredictable moods...it had been the same with Iri, and she was suddenly filled with gratitude that this, if not everything, had been returned to her.

But right now, Nala Se was looking at her curiously, so Brenna cleared her throat and nodded again. "I'm okay. A little nauseous and tired, but that's to be expected."

Nala Se inclined her head, and while Brenna didn't fancy herself an expert on Kaminoan body-language, she thought that the movement indicated curiosity. "Everything is...normal?"

"According to the doctor, yes," she replied with a smile. "Everything is perfect."

"I am glad to hear it." There was a pause, then Nala Se's head dipped gracefully, almost a bow. "It is late. I believe I shall retire to my quarters. Your mother wished to discuss some of the quagga genetics with me, tomorrow, so I must complete some research in preparation."

This was news to Brenna, but she didn't question the Kaminoan, only wished her goodnight and then headed back up to her and Rex's room, as she also had a stack of work to get through. While the nausea wasn't bad enough – yet – to cause her to lose her dinner, it was more than enough to prevent her from sleeping at the moment, and besides, she was anxious to see Rex. Since Caith and Tavi had returned before the others, she'd heard a little bit of her family's success at Belleau-a-Lir, but she was eager to hear it from her husband.

* * *

Several hours passed, and Brenna was lost in her work for the duration. It was very late when she heard the sound of the speeder approaching, so she shut off her equipment, grabbed her jacket and hurried downstairs to meet Rex, her mother, and Kix. Once she stepped outside, the cool air that hit her face was like an embrace, and a few inhales helped chase away the edge of the nausea that had been plaguing her nonstop the last few days. _Morning sickness, my _shebs_._

The hover-trailer that had been used to bring the quagga to the auction was empty, and she watched as the speeder pulled up into the gravel driveway, its headlights illuminating the puffs of her breath and making her squint in the bright lights until the driver cut them off. Save for the lamps on the front porch and the glow of the moon, it was dark.

Three figures emerged from the speeder, and she recognized her husband at once, despite the fact that his and Kix's silhouettes were practically identical. Jensine led the way, and as she approached, Brenna thought that her mother looked pleased about something that was not related to money. "Hi, Mom," she said. "I heard it went well."

"We came, we sold, we conquered," Jensine replied. "And I'm starving. Rex will fill you in on the rest."

Despite her brusque manner, her tone was warm and as she slipped past Brenna to the steps, she patted her daughter's arm with affection. Kix followed Jensine inside, his expression indicating he was tired and hungry as well, so she was expecting much the same thing when she looked at Rex.

Indeed, he did look tired, but there was something in his eyes that she didn't recognize, a kind of satisfaction that she hadn't seen before, and she was instantly alert. "Sounds like it was an eventful day," she said as he took her hand. "Are you hungry? There's still a ton of food from dinner."

"I could eat." He kissed her, then put his arm around her waist and they moved back up the steps, though he gave her a speculative look once they reached the front door. "How are you feeling?"

She inhaled, savoring the cool air that filled her lungs. With her jacket on, she was actually the perfect temperature, and she found that she didn't quite want to head inside, just yet. "A little nauseous, but it's not too bad, right now."

Sometimes, she wondered if spending so much time around Jedi had made him a mind-reader, or perhaps he just knew her that well, because Rex seemed to know exactly what she was thinking as he indicated the porch-swing. "Actually, I'm not that hungry. Would you mind if we sat outside for a few minutes?"

Soon, they were seated beside one another, listening to the gentle creak of the swing, and the wind as it sloughed across the yard. After adjusting her seat – she figured she'd have to start wearing maternity clothes, soon – Brenna sighed and leaned into his side; she felt his arm tighten around her shoulders again, then felt a kiss against her forehead before he spoke. "There was something of a bidding war for Nova," he said, amusement in his voice. "All of the quagga we brought went for very good prices, so I understand, but there was this one couple..."

When he told her how much the quagga had sold for, she gaped at him. "No wonder Mom was so happy."

Rex chuckled, then cleared his throat. "She offered me a partnership in Damaris Quagga."

"That's wonderful," she replied, smiling. "Assuming you can tolerate working with her, though I think you can, especially since she likes you."

He smiled at this, but a frown creased his face after a moment. "It would mean...staying here, on Alderaan," he said carefully. "Would you be okay with that?"

Brenna inhaled and looked at the stars that lay against the inky backdrop of the sky; there were so many, and even more that she couldn't see. She knew that in the past, she'd wanted nothing more to leave Alderaan, but now...

It had been, it was, and it would always be _home_.

"We're probably going have to move out of this house, sooner rather than later," she replied at last. "But yes, Rex. I'd like to stay on Alderaan." Relief crossed his face and he smiled, then pulled her close again, rubbing his hand along her sleeve as if to warm her. They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes before she spoke again. "I remembered something today."

His voice was quiet but heavy with hope. "What?"

She closed her eyes and placed a hand on her stomach; it was far too soon to be able to feel any signs of life, but the faint swell was reassuring, even if the nausea was not. "Being pregnant."

At this, his head turned and he regarded her beneath the faint glow of the porch lights. "Bren..."

"The nausea...that started it. And my breasts are tender...and bigger," she added, lifting a brow at him. To his credit, his expression did not change, save for a hint of his half-smile, so she continued. "I remember a little more, each day. It's..."

Suddenly filled with emotion, she blinked and leaned back into his shoulder, sighing when he kissed her forehead again. "I was afraid that I would never remember being pregnant with Iri, that those memories were gone, forever. But now, I'm so grateful for this...to experience this again "

He said nothing for a few moments, then she heard him exhale. "I'm really...glad to hear that, Bren."

Again, they were quiet. The wind slipped across the stubs of grass beyond the porch, rifling through the scattered trees and pushing a few upper-level clouds across the sky, obscuring some of the stars while they were bathed in the silver light of the moon. It was growing colder by the minute, but she was warm right now, content. Strands of her hair were picked up by the wind but she felt Rex's hand lift to smooth them down.

When he spoke, she heard a drop of wonder in his voice. "Do you think it'll be a boy or a girl?"

"It's too early to tell. Why? Do you have a preference?"

"No, I've just been wondering." He paused, then leaned his head against hers. "How do you give someone a name?"

"What do you mean?"

Rex sighed and rubbed her shoulder again, but this time the motion was almost absent, as if he was lost in thought. "I chose my own name," he said slowly. "As did all of my brothers. Names were rarely given, but they were often earned. It was a very personal thing. I don't know...how to give a name to a child."

Brenna shrugged. "Some people pick family names, as those get passed down though the generations; I don't remember exactly why I picked it, but I know that Irini was also the name of my grandmother. Some people find one they like and stick with it, or change their minds a hundred times. It depends."

There was a weighted pause, then she pulled back so that she could look up at him. "Did you have a name in mind?"

He shook his head, his brows knitted. "I wouldn't know where to begin."

"Maybe we can come up with a few that we like, and see if any of them fit." She smiled at his thoughtful look. "We have a while, anyway."

A half-smile spread across his face as his eyes met hers. "We do, don't we?"

* * *

_Thank you for reading! _

_Next time: "Saleucami was warmer than he remembered."_

_Also, some news-ish stuff on my profile, if you wander that way. :)_


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter Thirty-Eight**

_One month later..._

Saleucami was warmer than he remembered.

As he brought the speeder to a halt, Rex thought it may have had something to do with the fact that he was no longer wearing his climate-controlled armor, or that it was late spring here, and he'd grown accustomed to being in the thick of an Alderaani winter. Yes, that had to be the reason he was so warm; perhaps the temperature also accounted for the increased tempo of his heart as he gripped the controls of the rented speeder and stared at the long stretch of driveway that led to the Lawquane's farm.

"We there, yet?" Iri asked from her speeder-seat, her voice plaintive above the gently humming repulsors.

Beside Rex, Brenna twisted around. The movement was a little awkward because of her growing belly, but she managed easily enough. "We're almost there, sweetheart. Not much longer, I promise." She cast a look back at Rex, and spoke in a quiet voice. "Are you okay?"

There was concern in her tone, and he could see that she was toying with the strap of the bag she'd brought along. He offered her a faint smile, meant to reassure. "Yeah. Just...it's warm here, isn't it?"

Brenna's gaze softened and she put a hand on his arm, squeezing gently. "It's a little humid for me. But I'm excited to be here, at last."

He exhaled and nodded, trying to shake off his nerves as he did so. Her touch made it a little easier, so he lifted one hand from the controls and placed it over hers, which was still resting on his arm. "Me too. It's just...it's been a long time."

"A few years," she replied, leaning back in her seat and resting her hands across her stomach, where he couldn't help but run his gaze across the growing bulge. "Not that long, really."

Rex sighed again urged the speeder forward, through the gate that had been propped open for his family's arrival. "It feels like a lifetime has passed."

The driveway wound through the crops, the names of which Rex had never caught, though he remembered wondering. Above their heads, the mid-afternoon sky was bright, with only a few, upper-level clouds sweeping through the atmosphere. Somewhere, very close, he could hear the lowing burble of eopies, a noise that was underwritten by birdsong and the humming repulsors of their speeder. Aside from the dense, cloying heat and the race of his heart, it was idyllic.

Iri and Brenna were both quiet; a glance at his girls showed him that they were each studying the area intently, so he took another breath and shifted his gaze back to the path ahead. Within moments, the speeder rounded a curve and he saw the homestead: a squad, rounded house that had been cobbled together from a variety of sources – starship parts and lumber, among them – and the little barn where he'd spent a number of uncomfortable hours.

At first glance, it all looked the same.

However, as they approached, he could see that the house and barn both appeared sturdier, as though they'd gone through a multitude of upgrades, and it heartened Rex to think that Cut and his family had prospered in the last few years.

They reached the end of the drive, and now he could make out four figures standing at the steps of the farmhouse, watching the speeder and the passengers; once the speeder entered the open area in front of the main house, Cut stepped out of the shadow cast by the structure and lifted a hand to shade his eyes from the sun as if to get a better look. Rex took another breath as he halted the vehicle, suddenly very aware of the dust that had been kicked up from their passage. The sun that was beating down upon his head because he'd forgotten his hat at home.

"We're here," Brenna announced to their daughter, chuckling as Iri gave a squeal of joy.

Cut approached the speeder, his stride easy, and Shaeeah and Jek hurried after him, Suu following a moment later. He paused a few steps from the speeder, and Rex watched his eyes fall across Brenna, then Iri, before he resumed his pace.

"You must be Brenna" Cut said as he moved to help the brown-haired woman exit the vehicle while Rex unfastened Iri from her seat. "I take it my directions were alright?"

As Rex unbuckled Iri, he heard the smile in his wife's voice as she shook hands with the farmer. "They were great, but we didn't need them, did we, Rex?''

Iri looked up at him with excitement in her eyes and gave him a delighted grin, which made some of his apprehension fade, so he set the toddler on the ground and extended his hand to Cut, who reached forward as well. The shake was quick, but firm.

"I remembered the way out here," Rex said with a nod to the other man. Between the adults, the kids were surveying each other with a mixture of curiosity and wariness, though Rex thought that would change very soon, and reckoned they'd be chasing each other all across the farm before too long.

Cut smiled. In the stark sunshine, Rex could see faint lines around his eyes, and his skin looked a little more weathered than it had before. "I hoped you would."

Behind the farmer, Suu cleared her throat and indicated the house. "It is much cooler inside," she said in her lilting Ryl accent, then she cast Brenna a knowing look. "I remember being pregnant – heat was unwelcome."

"It's not so bad right now," Brenna said as she followed Suu towards the house. "I'm about fourteen weeks along, so a lot of the worst is behind me for now."

Rex glanced down at Iri, who had taken to keeping one hand on his leg as she studied the other kids. At his look, she glanced at him hopefully. "Up, Daddy?"

Rex smiled and picked her up, placing her on his shoulders with ease, with immediately caused Jek to beg his father for the same thing. The other clone agreed with a chuckle, and they turned to follow the women, Shaeeah trotting to catch up with her mother. As they walked, Rex glanced around again. "The place looks good," he said. "I guess the repairs went well."

A grunt escaped Cut and he hefted his son on his shoulders, as Jek was considerably larger than Iri. Both of Cut's kids looked so much older; Shaeeah herself was at least a head taller than she'd been before. "Well-enough," he huffed as Jek let out a whoop of enjoyment. "We have some neighbors who were willing to help out, so they went quickly. Made some improvements to the barn, too. I can show you, if you like."

"No more droids stopped by, I hope?"

"Thankfully, no," Cut chuckled, then winced as Jek twisted around to look at Iri on Rex's shoulders. "Hold still, son. He's really too big for this," the clone added as he shot Rex a wry look. "I'm going to regret it in the morning when my back is killing me."

Rex nodded, but neither one of them said anything more, in part because they'd reached the house. Within a few minutes, the adults were seated around the dining table, sipping glasses of cool water while Jek and Iri retreated to the former's toy-chest in the living area; Shaeeah seemed to debate for a moment, then slid next to her mother at the table, her magenta-colored eyes alert as they darted between the adults.

Once she was settled, Brenna reached into her bag and withdrew a small, cylindrical case that contained the hypospray, which she set on the table and slid over to Cut. As the clone reached forward to take the object, Rex took a breath. "Like Bren told you, it only takes one dose," he said in a quiet voice. "We've done all sorts of tests, and it's working perfectly. Side-effects last about a month; you'll be nauseous and sore, and probably not good for much besides feeling like-"

He'd been about to say _osik_, but the presence of Shaeeah made him rethink the Mando'a swear. However, Cut smirked as he opened the case and examined the contents. "Five kinds of _haran_, huh?"

"Something like that," Rex replied, chuckling.

Brenna shot Suu a lifted brow, though neither woman said anything as Cut removed the hypo from the case, turning the cylinder over in his hand as he studied the object. "Strange," he said after a moment, looking back up at Rex. "I've seen a thousand of these things. Never thought I'd see one like this, though."

"What is it, Dad?" Shaeeah asked, her _lekku _swaying as she leaned up out of her chair to get a look.

Cut took a breath and looked back down at the hypospray, resting innocuously in his palm. "It's the rest of my life."

* * *

About fifteen minutes later, Brenna and Suu were still seated at the dining table of the Twi'lek's home; Rex and Cut had opted to step back outside, but Brenna found that she was content to lean back in her chair and sip her water as she, Suu, and Shaeeah chatted.

"You said you were fourteen weeks along?" the pink-skinned Twi'lek asked, her eyes resting on Brenna's stomach.

Brenna nodded and placed a hand on the growing swell of her belly. "The easy phase," she said in a dry voice, and Suu chuckled. "It's part of the reason I was so glad that we could take this trip now, rather than later."

"Do you know if it's a boy or a girl?" Shaeeah's voice was curious. Again, she'd chosen to stay with the women rather than go play with Iri and Jek, as if she was trying to assert herself, in some small way, as an adult.

"We decided to let it be a surprise," Brenna replied. "Though, I think Rex regrets that decision. He's a planner," she added, reaching for her water-glass again.

Suu smiled. "Cut is much the same way, sometimes." Her voice dropped in pitch and she folded her hands on the table before her. "He could hardly believe it when we received your message about the cure. I'm not sure he believes it's real, even now."

"The side-effects are worse than Rex is letting on," Brenna said, sitting up a little bit and regarding Suu. "He was completely miserable for an entire month; there were days where he vomited nearly nonstop. We had an IV set up, and I tried to feed him muja-sauce and water, very slowly; even then he had trouble keeping it down. And he was in a lot of pain." She sighed and then felt a smile creep across her face again. "But it was worth it."

"I've often thought of what I would give to have what you've brought us," Suu said, her eyes turning to the hypo, her _lekku _swaying gracefully across her back with the movement of her head. "I'm afraid there is nothing I can offer in return that would be its equal."

Brenna rested both of her hands at the lowest curve of her belly. "You already did. You helped him when he needed it," she explained, indicating the door where Rex and Cut had slipped out. "His time here affected him a great deal, more than he'll ever really say, I think, even to me. You and your family helped to make him the man he is, today."

There was quiet for a moment as the women sipped their water and glanced over at their children, who were now engrossed in a holo-vid. "Cut talked about Rex for many months after he left," Suu said at last, a half-smile on her face. "I think he enjoyed having another clone around, even if it was only for a night."

Shaeeah giggled. "It was funny. Like Daddy had a twin brother."

The Twi'lek smiled at her daughter, then looked back at Brenna. "So, how is Alderaan, this time of the year?"

* * *

"Cold, right now," Rex said, shading his eyes with his hand as he and Cut surveyed the refurbished barn. "The kriffing wind never stops blowing, and it finally started snowing a few weeks ago." He chuckled and Cut cast him a curious look. "Never liked snow before, but now it's kind of nice."

The other clone laughed and pushed open the barn door, revealing the dim interior. The eopies were pastured at the moment so the barn was empty, save for a few shafts of sunlight filtering in through the window-slats and the dancing dust motes within them. "Reshingled the roof and upgraded the insulation," Cut said proudly as they moved through the barn. "Feels nice in here, doesn't it?"

It was pleasantly cool, actually, and Rex made a noise of admiration as he glanced around. "I'm sure the eopies appreciate it."

They paused at the bench where Rex remembered – all too well – recuperating from his injury, and the scar on his chest twinged with the recollection. As Rex ran his hands along the woodgrain, remembering, Cut spoke again. "The side-effects really last a month?"

Grimacing, Rex nodded. "Yeah. Wasn't a pleasant month, either."

He frowned and looked around the barn once more, considering. On the public transport to the Outer Rim, he and Brenna had discussed the possibility of Rex remaining on Saleucami for a week or so, in case Cut and Suu indicated that they'd be short-handed on the farm; he'd been lucky during his recuperation to have his other brothers around to help out if need be, and he was loathe to deprive Cut the same courtesy. "If you want, I could stay on a bit and help out," he said at last, looking back at the other clone. "I don't know much about crops, but I could probably handle the eopies."

"Thanks, but we should be fine," Cut replied, reaching to pick up an elongated tool that had toppled over into a pile of hay. "We're in a bit of a gap between harvests, right now, we have good neighbors, and the kids are old enough to help out a little more. Besides," he added with a knowing look back at Rex. "You have your own family to take care of."

"Bren and I talked about it. We don't want to leave you in the lurch."

But Cut was already shaking his head. "I appreciate the offer, Rex, but it's not necessary." He paused, then took a deep breath; when he spoke again his voice was very full. "You've given me more than I could have ever asked for, anyway."

Rex had no reply to that, so he only nodded and glanced back down at the bench**. **After a few moments of quiet, Cut cleared his throat. "Your little girl's beautiful. How old is she?"

"Three and a half." There was a beat, then Rex looked up at the other clone to answer the inevitable question. "When I met Bren, she was single and Iri was almost two years old. Her father was a clone commando named Tucker. But he...well." Rex exhaled through his nose, because this part was complicated. "He died just after the War ended, but he wasn't...involved much in Brenna and Iri's lives, before that."

It was the simplest explanation he could think of. While he still didn't condone Tucker's actions, he couldn't dislike the other man, not completely, not when the commando had given his life so that Rex could return to Bren safely.

Cut nodded, then leaned back against a stall door and shoved his hands in his pockets, regarding Rex with interest. "I have to admit, I never thought I'd see you again."

"Me too," Rex replied, glancing around once more. "Even now, being back...it doesn't feel quite real."

"I'm glad you made it back," Cut said. "And it's not just because you brought me the rapid-aging cure. Though that's a big part of it." He cocked his head, curiosity in his gaze. "What happened?"

An inhale brought Rex the scent of hay, of eopies and manure, of sweat and the sweet scent of the summer air that meandered through the open door.

The entire journey out here, he'd gone over his conversations with Cut, again and again. Right now, he wanted to say that he'd been a different man back then, a more idealistic, somewhat harsher man than he was today. He wanted to say that before he'd met Cut, any thoughts about what _might _be had been few and far between and he'd been quite content with the shape of his life. It was _after _Rex had left Saleucami that he'd been a changed man. A better man.

There was so much he wanted to say, and yet he didn't think all of it was needed. Cut was a smart man, and there was a knowing glint in his eyes that Rex recognized. He thought that whatever it was he wanted to say, Cut already knew.

"It's a long story," he said at last, moving to lean against the bench_. _

Cut gave a low chuckle. "Well, let's hear it. We've got all the time in the world."

As Rex shared his story he lost track of the time. For a while he was only aware of its passage by the way the light shifted across the interior of the barn, and it wasn't until later on when their wives came looking for them that he realized just how long he and Cut spoke.

He didn't tell Cut everything, of course, like his crush on Ahsoka or the intensely personal details of his relationship with Bren. Mostly he talked about his time in the army, about battles and the more unorthodox missions like Zygerria, Onderon, and Lola Sayu. He talked about Umbara and watched Cut's face grow dark upon hearing what had happened on the shadow-world.

He talked about falling in love with Brenna. It was interesting to watch the other man's reaction to the story, and there were a few times where something like understanding flashed in Cut's eyes.

He talked about the Spaarti clones and Order 66, and watched Cut's head shake in disbelief.

He talked about Fives, Kix, Jesse, Coric and Chopper. He talked about Tup, after which they shared a silent moment of remembrance for his brother's sacrifice.

He talked about finding his way to Alderaan and to Brenna, again, but he was vague about what had happened on Loronar, indicating only that they'd had some trouble with a group of gangsters, which was true enough. Brenna hadn't said as much, but Rex thought she wouldn't want Cut or Suu to look at her any differently if they learned of her experience with the hycosine.

Rex didn't do all the talking, though. Cut also spoke at length; they swapped cadet stories, tales of hard-_shebs_ trainers on Kamino and botched practice sims. Rex lamented the loss of his DC-17s, and Cut admitted that he still thought about his trusty sniper rifle with fondness.

Cut told him how he'd met Suu, how he'd fallen in love with her and her children and wanted nothing more than to be part of their family, and it was Rex's turn to regard his brother with tacit understanding.

"Never thought I'd consider 'father' to be my favorite designation," Rex said as he leaned back along the support beam where he'd moved to during the course of their conversation. "But here I am."

Cut laughed. "It's a far cry from 'Captain,' isn't it?"

"It's like nothing I've ever known," Rex replied, glancing down at his empty arms and thinking about how his daughter filled them. "It's so much harder than I could have imagined. But it's better, too."

At this, Cut's face changed, smoothed, and he looked a few years younger in the fading light. "Yeah," he said with a smile. "It is better. Terrifying, sometimes. But wonderful, too."

In that moment, the sound of Shaeeah's voice caused both men to turn towards the barn door. "_There _you are, Daddy!" Her head poked through the door and she gave an exasperated sigh as the other two childrens' faces appeared. "Mom's looking for you," she said to Cut, who appeared to be fighting back a laugh. Following this, Shaeeah turned and yelled out, presumably to Suu. "MOM! Dad's in the barn!"

"Daddy!" The door was pushed open further, allowing Iri to tumble in, Jek on her heels. Rex watched with amusement as his daughter scrambled towards him, her eyes alight with excitement as she chattered a klick a minute about the holo she and the youngest Lawquane had been watching earlier. He dropped a knee and embraced her, picking her up and pulling out the flecks of straw that had somehow found their way into her hair.

"What did you get into, _Ir'ika_?" he asked, glancing towards the barn door, where Brenna and Suu were entering.

"Eee-ooh-pee," Iri said, proudly. "Jek show Iri eee-ooh-pee."

Jek burst out laughing.

Following this, Rex's daughter offered him her widest, most innocent smile and the former captain sighed as his wife approached his side. Beyond him, Cut shot Rex a lifted brow. "And you're going to have two of them, soon."

Rex was unable to stop his grin.

* * *

Because of the lateness of the hour, the Lawquanes invited to host Rex, Brenna and Iri for the night, so that they could leave at first light. Brenna had to admit, the offer was tempting. However, they still had time to make it back to the Qualia spaceport, return the speeder and catch their transport off-planet, so she and Rex politely declined. While the men had been talking, Brenna and Suu had fed the kids; after such a full, exciting day, Iri was already asleep in her daddy's arms, and Brenna hoped that she'd sleep the rest of the way back.

Leaving was a quiet affair. By the lights of the homestead, Brenna hugged Cut, who congratulated her and Rex again; Shaeeah offered her a shy smile and a wave; Jek watched Iri as Rex placed the sleeping girl back in her speeder-seat, and Brenna thought the boy looked a little sad to see her daughter go. Once Iri was settled, Brenna turned to Suu, who was extending a small package.

"Something for the return trip," the Twi'lek said as the men spoke a few steps away. "Those public transports are not known for their high-quality meals."

Brenna accepted the package with a nod; the moment it was out of her hands, Suu leaned forward and embraced her tightly. "Thank you," she murmured. "I can never thank you enough."

There was no adequate response that came to Brenna's mind, so she only nodded again. Suu stepped back and placed a hand on Jek's head, as he was still watching Iri with fascination. Beside them, Brenna glanced over to see Rex and Cut speaking quietly, and as she slid into her seat in the vehicle, she caught the last words between them.

The dark of the nighttime surrounded them, but both men were standing in a pool of light cast by lights affixed to the house's exterior. Their arms were extended, their hands were clasped around each other's forearm in a firm, Mando'a style gesture that all the clones seemed to know on some instinctual level. Their voices were quiet through the buzzing of the cicadas.

"You have a beautiful family, Rex," Cut was saying. "Congratulations, again."

She watched her husband take a deep breath, his hand tightening around the other man's arm. "Thank you. For...everything."

Cut nodded once, and they parted. He waved goodbye to Suu and the children, the latter of whom returned the gesture with exuberance, and then he slid into his place in the speeder. As they began to head away from the homestead, Brenna turned again and gave one last wave, watching as the Lawquane family grew smaller and smaller, until Rex turned the vehicle around a corner and they were gone.

She exhaled and faced forward, watching the headlights of the speeder skimming the ground ahead of them; Rex kept their speed steady, as the path was winding and dark, and the wind from their passage was cool against her face.

Neither of them spoke for a few minutes, until they reached the end of the drive that led to the farm. Once Rex guided the speeder through the gate, he paused the vehicle, glanced over his shoulder to check on Iri, then reached for Brenna.

"Rex, what-"

She was silenced by his mouth on hers, by the strength of his embrace as he pulled her as close as he could. His kiss was not hungry or seeking, there was no desperation behind the action, but nor was it gentle or soft. It was passionate, but not consuming.

When they parted, he touched her cheek. "That was for...arranging all of this," he said in a thick voice, his head tilting in the direction of the Laquane homestead. When he spoke, she could feel his breath on her lips. "It was such a surprise at first, and then I got so...caught up with coming out here, I'm not sure I thanked you properly."

Her mouth was still tingling from his gratitude, so she smiled and reached up to cover his hand with her own. "Consider it an early wedding present."

* * *

_I've wanted to share this with y'all for a long, long time. It was wonderful to go back to Saleucami and revisit Cut and his family with Rex and his own - kind of like coming full-circle, in a way. I feel like Rex's time here (on the show) was, in many ways, the catalyst for his future development. _

_No one can ever compare with Queen's version of the Lawquane family in her story, _Homestead_, but I hope I've done them justice. If you can, please let me know what you think. :)_

_Thanks for reading!_

_Next time: Speaking of weddings... _


	39. Chapter 39

**Chapter Thirty-Nine **

_Months later..._

Rex was nervous, and he didn't care for the feeling.

He also didn't quite understand it, as this was technically his and Bren's second wedding, something that they'd decided to have more for their family than for each other. The two of them had called each other husband and wife for about six months now and he'd long since grown used to the idea. But when he'd woken up that spring morning, having slept in the clones' 'barracks,' due to some odd, Alderaani tradition about the groom seeing the bride the day before the ceremony, he found that he was a wreck. He'd barely spoken to anyone, hardly touched his breakfast, and his hands had actually trembled as he'd buttoned up the shirt that Bren had given him to wear.

The nervousness was worse now that he was standing with Fives beneath the bright, afternoon sky and _waiting_. It was tradition for the couple to each pace the line in front of their guests, escorted by someone of the same gender who was close in age, so that they could meet in the middle and say the words that had been memorized in previous weeks. There was no one to preside over the ceremony, as it was considered something that both parties entered of their own free will, with no one necessary to bind them, though the escort was apparently a common practice. Rex tried to remember the reason behind the tradition, but found that he couldn't, now.

Instead, he tried to see past the assembled guests – there weren't too many – and find Brenna, who was waiting with Marliss and Iri on the other side of the grassy pathway that had been lined with flowers. Apparently, there was a signal of some kind that Marliss was supposed to give, which was when he and Fives were supposed to start walking. The path curved before their guests; he couldn't make her out.

Rex sighed.

Beside him, Fives nudged his shoulder. "You alright, _vod_?"

"I'm fine," Rex replied, automatically straightening his shoulders. "Just ready to get underway."

A quiet chuckle escaped from his brother. "Eloping to Zeltros doesn't seem so crazy now, does it?"

Rex tried to shoot Fives a glare but his heart wasn't really into it, so the expression was more of a chiding look. Above their heads the sky was that same, unwavering blue color it had been the past few days, and the breeze was gentle and warm. From their position in one of the closer pastures to the Damaris' home, Rex could see green, swaying grass everywhere he looked, though this section had been trimmed to allow everyone to move freely. There were no trees out here, but several curving arches had been placed to delineate the ceremonial area, each one coated with flowers of a myriad of colors. The guests had all gathered between the arches and were waiting for the ceremony to begin.

Having an audience was a little unnerving. Not that Rex had never been in front of groups of people before, but this occasion was...different. The meaning behind the ceremony was intensely personal, but was also meant to be witnessed and cherished by those in attendance. He was starting to realize that, in a way, this moment would last forever, or at least as long as everyone present was around to remember it.

A scan of those assembled revealed those brothers who had come with him to Alderaan and a few more, who'd traveled to the planet to attend the ceremony; there was Ahsoka and the Bonteri fellow, and when he caught his friend's eye she gave him a huge grin and a 'thumbs-up,' which would have made him chuckle had his gut not been twisting so; Brenna's family stood at the front, and he saw Caith give him a nod of acknowledgment. There were other people, too. Not many, but he could see Dr. Bores and her assistant, which was good to know, as the physician had taken care of many of Bren's prenatal exams. Nala Se stuck out, her pale head holding still against the backdrop of the mountains, and her gaze serene.

Aside from a handful of the Damaris' trusted friends and neighbors, there was no one else present, for which he was thankful for a number of reasons. Although he had a viable ID, Rex technically wasn't a legal citizen of the Republic, and every clone present was considered by the Empire to be a traitor, so it was necessary to keep the ceremony small. He'd been a bit worried about Ahsoka showing her face, but she'd cleverly obscured her distinctive white facial markings with stage make-up for the day in order to keep a low profile.

There was a beat of silence, then Fives nudged his side again. "Don't worry about anything, _vod_," he murmured. "You'll be fine."

"I know," Rex replied with a frown as he thought over the words he'd have to say, very soon. "It's not like we're facing a clanker army, Fives. I can handle this."

"Of course you can," Fives said in an even voice. "But as First Brother, it's my job to support you, right? Well," he added with a chuckle. "This is me supporting you."

Perhaps in another time he would have laughed, but right now he could hardly breathe, so Rex only nodded. After a beat, he looked at his brother. "You remember the plan?"

Fives cast his eyes skyward, though he was smiling. "Yessir, Captain, sir."

Rex's stomach was twisting again, so he only exhaled in reply. He really thought they would have started by now. _What's the holdup? Is everything alright with Iri? Kriff...did Bren go into early labor or something? _A thousand scenarios played through his mind, each one worse than the last, so he decided to act. "Something's wrong," he said, moving to step forward. "I need to-"

But he was stopped by Fives' firm grip on his bicep. "You _need_ to wait right here," the former ARC said mildly. "Hang on to your _shebs, _Captain. It's about to start."

No sooner had Fives said the words than Rex caught sight of a flicker of light from the other end of the path, which was – apparently – the signal that they'd been waiting for. Where there was once a low murmur of conversation through the audience, everyone fell silent as Rex and Fives began to move forward.

Initially, Rex hadn't really understood why he needed anyone to escort him, tradition or not. He was a grown man, fully capable of _walking_ on his own. As a former soldier, he'd been through countless battles; he'd overcome dangers that most "ordinary" people only read about, he'd never once met an enemy he hadn't found the courage to face, if only briefly. But now, each step seemed harder than the last because his heart was suddenly racing and his stomach had continued to knot itself into a virtual kor vella twist, so much so that he had a flashback to his recovery from the accelerated-aging cure.

Fives, though, was steady, and while he'd released his grip on Rex's arm, just having his brother beside him was enough to keep Rex's movements controlled and even, and he found that he was grateful for Fives' presence, after all. They walked past the assembled guests, many of whom took pictures with holo-cams – he tried to ignore that – until they reached the center of the audience, though they continued to face forward, waiting for Marliss, Bren and Iri to approach.

Rex inhaled again, hoping to calm his roiling gut. The scent of flowers and warm sunlight drifted through the air. A few people in the crowd coughed and spoke in brief, hushed tones, and he considered shooting them a glare because they should have done their best to be quiet. As he was about to do so, Fives nudged his side again, redirecting his attention. Rex's head turned; he saw Brenna.

And his breath caught.

The first thing he noticed was that the rounded swell of her belly was clearly visible through the ivory-pale dress, which floated down and around her legs. She'd started to show more and more in recent months, and he found that he never got tired of running his hands over her belly, feeling for any movement from their developing child. The dress clung to her, but not tightly; it revealed the swells of her body, but did not show them off, only caressed them. Embroidered green vines crept up from the hem and curved around her as if embracing the growing life. Her hair was loose and gently curling, falling down her shoulders and shining in the sunlight. She was smiling, hugely, and she was smiling at him.

Beside her, Iri was in a dress of pale green that complimented the one her mother wore without actually matching. His daughter was barefoot and clutching Brenna and Marliss' hands, peeking out from behind her blonde curls at the audience, most of whom were grinning at the child. As she followed the adults, Iri looked up and caught his eye, then shouted, "Daddy!" which sent a ripple of laughter through those assembled.

The bulk of his nervousness fled at that, so he lifted his hand and gave Iri a salute, making her tug on her mother's hand and urging her mama to go _faster. _Brenna laughed and shot Marliss a glance; their paces quickened just a bit, which seemed to pacify the toddler for the time being, though she continued watching Rex with excitement.

As his wife and daughter approached, he met Bren's eyes and studied her expression; she seemed a little nervous too, the realization of which cast the rest of his agitation aside for the moment. They were in this together, after all. He watched as she glanced at Marliss, who hugged her once then stepped aside. At nearly the same moment, Rex felt Fives' embrace, which he returned even though most of his focus was on Bren and Iri. Fives stepped aside as well, leaving Rex with his girls.

Alderaani weddings were a bit more ceremonial than Mandalorian, but thankfully, Rex remembered rehearsing all of this, and his body moved on its own because every bit of his attention was on Bren and Iri. His heart had started beating quickly and he itched to reach for Bren's hand, but it wasn't time, not yet.

A step behind him, Fives spoke, his voice clear and ringing through the crowd. "Rex, do you enter this union freely and of your own volition?"

"I do," he replied, his eyes on Brenna, still.

Marliss spoke next. "Brenna, do you enter this union freely and of your own volition?"

Her smile was wide. "I do."

There was a pause, then Rex remembered that it was his turn to take action. He dug within the pocket of his trousers and withdrew the plain, silver bands that Brenna had bought months and months ago, and placed the larger of the two in her outstretched palm. Iri watched the exchange with longing; she'd begged to carry them, but both of her parents had decided that such a thing was only asking for trouble.

Clutching his ring in her right hand, Brenna extended her left hand to him and met his eyes, still smiling. Thinking over these words one last time, Rex took a breath, then reached out and slid the band upon her third finger. Her skin was warm beneath his fingertips.

He took a breath; he only had to say one thing, very briefly, and he did not want to screw it up. "I am yours, Brenna," he said as his heart continued to beat furiously. "Today, tomorrow, and every day after. This is my promise."

A relieved exhale escaped him, which he thought Brenna noticed, for her lips quirked into a half-smile. It was not a wholly nervous expression though, and he wondered if – as it had been for him – some of her nerves had fled once she realized that he was anxious, too.

Rex held out his left hand and watched her take a deep breath, then she slid the band across his finger with a light touch. "I am yours, Rex," she said, smiling at him fully. "Today, tomorrow, and every day after. This is my promise."

As she finished speaking, she squeezed his fingertips gently, then twined her hand with his own as was the custom. Everything was always better when they were touching. He gave her a grin, adding a wink for good measure because it would perplex her. Indeed, she seemed confused for a moment, but he shook his head slightly and squeezed her hand again to reassure, then let her go.

Because it wasn't over, yet.

This was the point during an Alderaani ceremony where the guests offered a traditional blessing on the newlyweds, but before anyone could speak, Fives cleared his throat and faced the audience. "Rex has something he'd like to add," the former ARC said, nodding to his brother.

Rex took another breath and dropped to his knee so that he was facing Iri, who was looking at him with interest. He pitched his words to be very clear. "Irini, _ni kar'tayl gai sa'ad_," he said to the little girl. It was a Mandalorian adoption vow, and while it was something of a formality at this point, he'd wanted to recognize his bond with his daughter at this time, too. "Irini, I know your name; I know you as my child."

Her pale brows furrowed as she studied him; he could practically see her thinking over the words, and decided that he'd have to start teaching her Mando'a soon. At last she nodded once, solemnly. "Okay, Daddy."

Beside him, he felt Brenna's hand settle on his shoulder, so he scooped Iri up and kissed her cheek, then got to his feet and wrapped his free arm around Bren's waist so that he could pull her close. His wife and his daughter were in his arms, his whole heart was _here_, and he felt the very last traces of his unease fall away with their closeness.

Silence settled around them for the space of a heartbeat, then the others started speaking the blessing, most of them reading from little pieces of flimsi that had been provided before the ceremony. Their voices rang out, some of them not quite in unison, but still sounding clearly beneath the cloudless sky. "May the road always rise up to meet you. May the wind always be at your back."

Caith and Edme were grinning as they spoke, the latter also managing to snap pics with her holo-cam and the former giving him a knowing look, which sent another bout of nerves through Rex, albeit for an entirely different reason, one that would occur later on this evening. Looking beside them, Rex watched as Jensine recited the words, regarding them with bright eyes as her voice blended with the other guests'. "May the sun shine warm upon your faces, and the rains fall softly upon your fields."

Jesse, Kix, Coric and Chopper were seated with a few other clones Rex had recognized after a moment; they were men from assorted legions, men he'd worked with during the War. As they spoke – in unison, of course – each clone's posture was straight, and at his gaze they offered him a sharp salute, which made him chuckle as he picked out their distinct voices, voices that echoed his own. "May laughter always grace the halls of your home. May the joy of living for each other fill the whole length of your days."

Ahsoka was with Lux Bonteri. They were standing close, their arms around each other's waists; he was reading from the flimsi while she seemed to have memorized the words, and when Rex caught her gaze, she grinned at him again as the final lines were spoken. "And may the light of love always find a dwelling place in your hearts."

There. It was done...right? Still holding their daughter, Rex looked back at Brenna; they hadn't covered what was supposed to happen now, and he felt a flare of apprehension that he'd missed some crucial part of the whole thing.

But she chased the feeling away when she reached for his cheek, drew him close and kissed him soundly.

* * *

_The wedding vows are taken from traditional Celtic ones, though I tweaked a few things to better fit the narrative. For the ceremony itself, I considered the usual elements in a Western-style wedding and tried to think of the reasons behind them, so I could figure out how to make an Alderaani wedding feel right, in-universe. _

_Rex's adoption of Iri was also an important moment; this chapter is really about the three of them coming together – formally – as a family. :)_

_Thank you for reading. _

_Next time: dancing at the reception! :D_


	40. Chapter 40

**Chapter Forty **

_Later..._

Although the ceremony had been brief, the celebration that followed lasted well into the evening, and Brenna had to admire her mother's ability to throw a damn good party.

What looked like hundreds of strands of tiny lights had been hung around the patio behind her mother's house, creating an ambient glow that provided a lovely contrast to the growing darkness. A table filled with a wide assortment of foods and beverages was laid out to one side, and a series of smaller tables and chairs were stationed just off the edge of the brick patio, as it was serving as a dance-floor. There was no live band, but Jesse had taken control of the music-player and was doing an admirable job. Quite a few people, herself included, were dancing to the current upbeat song.

The party was more than nice, actually, and Fives commented on the fact as the former ARC trooper guided her across the patio like he'd been born to dance. "Best party I've been to in ages," Fives said as they moved beneath the twinkling lights. "There's a ton of food – your mom really went all out, didn't she?"

"Yes, but she loves this kind of thing," Brenna replied, thinking over all of the planning; she glanced around and noticed Jensine in deep discussion with Nala Se even as she ensured that her grandchildren were behaving. "I'm glad the preparation is over, though. It's nice to be able to relax and enjoy it."

Fives nodded thoughtfully. "I loved eloping with Mar, but this is pretty fun, too. Different, you know? We didn't have too many parties in the army." He gave her an overly stern look that was meant to tease. "The good captain _never_ would have permitted it."

Brenna glanced over his shoulder and watched as Rex and Marliss danced, the former not _quite _as adept as his brother, though the the blonde woman was laughingly trying to guide him along. Rex looked up, caught her eye, and gave her a look that was only a little exasperated_._ In response, she mouthed, _I love you, _which made him give her his half-smile, the one that sent a thrill of desire and love through her all at once, and she wished for a moment that they were alone together.

Beyond him, she could see Caith and Edme in each other's arms, looking at one another like no one else existed. A few others were dancing as well, and from what she could tell, everyone appeared to be enjoying themselves. Her feet were starting to ache a little and she knew that she should probably sit down soon, but she was reluctant to do so, just yet.

"I wish I remembered more of our time on the _Resolute,_" she said to Fives. "Rex and I have talked about a few things, like how we met and got together, but so many of those moments are-" She paused and searched her memory, just to be sure. Finding nothing, she gave the former ARC a shrug. "They're gone."

His face fell a little and she regretted her words at once, not having meant to make him uncomfortable. "So it's really wonderful to have this," she added, indicating the area. "The wedding, the reception...I'm making new memories."

Fives nodded, but she could still see that he looked uneasy, even though the expression smoothed away. They danced for a minute or so, then he gave her a wry smile. "I remember, back at that cantina on Mimban," he began, his voice taking on a storyteller's lilt. "I saw you _look _at Rex, again and again, like there was no one else in that room. I remember thinking that you were pretty and that you looked nice, and that I hoped he'd be able to get over his stubborn, _di'kut_ attitude, prove how charming he could be, and win your heart."

"Oh, really?" she laughed, nudging his shoulder. "You didn't just want him to get laid?"

He had the grace to flush, but he recovered quickly and increased the pace of the dance just a bit. "Well...that too. But, you know I'm a hopeless romantic at heart, Bren."

She lifted a brow and he grinned at her, his embarrassment apparently forgotten. "Yes, I wanted him to...unwind, but in the back of my mind, I also hoped that – whatever happened between you two – would make him truly happy, even if only for a while." He looked up, past her shoulder, and she thought that he was looking at Rex and Marliss. When he spoke, his voice was quiet. "I had no idea what it would lead to."

Fives looked back at her and gave her another smile, a softer one than she'd seen before. "Guess that's life, huh?"

She returned the look and they danced for a little while longer, until she realized that she _had _to get off of her aching feet for a few minutes. After parting ways with Fives, Brenna slipped off her shoes and made her way across the patio, crossing over the cool grass to the table where her mother was seated alone, now. At her daughter's approach, Jensine shifted a chair so Brenna could sit easily. Once she was seated and the pressure was off of her feet, Brenna extended her legs so that her feet were flat against the grass and gave a sigh of relief.

Neither of them spoke at first and for a little while, Brenna was content to watch the others: Iri and Tav were dancing together, albeit clumsily and with the guidance of Caith and Edme, and she had to chuckle at the sight; Fives had claimed his wife from Rex again and was sweeping her around with far more vigor than he'd shown Brenna, and she could see the shared gleam in the couple's eyes as they faced one another, pressing their bodies closer than was really called for; standing near the food table, Jesse, Kix and several of the other clones were speaking to each other with enthusiasm; Nala Se had collected a plate of food and was examining a piece of blatberry pie with mild curiosity; the young fellow that Ahsoka had brought – his name escaped Brenna at the moment – was engrossed in conversation with several of Jensine's neighbors.

Rex and Ahsoka were dancing. As she'd noted before, when they'd been planning the Kamino infiltration, Brenna thought that her husband actually looked relaxed when he spoke to the Jedi, which in turn set Brenna at ease. He was laughing at something the Togruta was saying.

As they often did when she thought about her husband, Brenna's hands curled around her swelling stomach, rubbing gently. Despite what she'd forgotten, she knew that everything had changed, immeasurably, from those earliest days when they'd first met. So much of Rex's old life had been taken away from him, and while she was glad that he wasn't fighting battles or shooting droids any more, she found that she was thankful that some parts of his past had made their way into his present.

Brenna sighed. She knew better than most how important those parts could be, and what it meant to have them taken away. However, while she thought that some memories might never come back, she was grateful, more than she could really say, that she had all that she did.

Beneath her hand, a familiar, light pushing motion caught her attention, and she smiled to herself. _Hello, little one._

"Are you hungry?"

Jensine's voice broke Brenna out of her thoughts, and she glanced at her mother, who was sipping a flute of pale, sparkling Alderaani wine that looked delicious. But of course _that _was out of the question, so Brenna nodded. "A little bit. I ate earlier, though."

Jensine eyed her over the rim of the glass. "You're eating for two, Brenna. You need to keep your strength up." There was a pause, during which Brenna thought that her mother was going to scold her or something, but then Jensine startled her by setting the glass down and getting to her feet. "I'll be right back. Are you hungry for anything in particular?"

All of the food was fantastic, but upon a moment's reflection she realized that she had a definite craving, so Brenna looked up at her mother. "A little of everything would be nice, but definitely something sweet."

With a nod, Jensine moved towards the food-table, gracefully side-stepping those who were dancing, and Brenna relaxed back in her chair again, savoring the feeling of being off of her feet. It had been a long day. After glancing around to make sure that Iri was still with Caith and Edme, she closed her eyes for just a moment and pressed her hands to her belly, hoping to feel the baby move again.

When her eyes opened this time, it was to see Caith and Jensine approaching, the former bearing a plate of food and the latter carrying a flute of what Brenna knew was sparkling fruit-juice, having sampled it earlier. As Jensine offered her the juice, Caith set the plate down; she eyed the selection with appreciation because she was hungrier than she'd realized. Looking between her mother and her brother, both of whom had taken seats on either side of her, Brenna thanked them, then began to dig in.

Caith leaned back in his chair and regarded the festivities. "It's a great party, Mom."

"It is, isn't it?" Jensine sounded pleased, though in the next moment she frowned. "I'll have to check on the quagga soon, though. I'm expecting a few foals to drop any day now."

"They'll be fine for the night," Caith replied. "You should stay and enjoy all of your hard work." Jensine shot her son a look and he sighed. "Or just ask Kix to check on them for you. I'm sure he'd be willing."

The blatberry pie was better than she remembered, and judging by the baby's kick, Brenna thought that he or she approved as well. Once she swallowed her bite, she looked at her mother. "What were you and Nala talking about, before?"

A gleam of excitement appeared in Jensine's eyes, and she sat up, her hand toying with the bottom of her glass. "The Kaminoan has a lot of knowledge about genetics and breeding, and I intend to make use of it." She lifted a brow at Brenna. "That husband of yours will have the quagga training well in hand before too long; he's going to make me obsolete unless I find another aspect of Damaris Quagga to focus on."

Caith plucked a honey-stick from the plate he'd brought Brenna and crunched it, ignoring her mock-glare and looking thoughtful. "That's not a bad idea, Mom. I can watch the accounts; you can handle the breeding, and Rex can focus on training." He glanced at Brenna, who shifted her plate away from him. "What do you think?"

"I think it's a good idea," Brenna replied, selecting the last honey-stick before her brother could do so, then biting into it with deliberation as Caith rolled his eyes. "And I can find work if I need to, though it's not as much as I'd like. But..." She paused mid-chew and glanced down at her swollen stomach. "My family's getting a little big to stay here," she said after a moment, looking back up between her mother and brother. "It's wonderful out here, but we need more space."

She expected her mother to scowl and say something about that being nonsense, and she expected Caith to offer her some words of encouragement. What she was not expecting was each of them to look very pointedly in another direction, which sent a flare of alarm through Brenna, because she was reminded, for a moment, of those first few weeks after her return, when everyone had treated her like a stranger. But it was a fleeting feeling, as Caith did smile and squeeze her shoulder, saying it would all be fine, that she shouldn't worry, while Jensine sipped her drink and looked very satisfied with something.

But before she could ask, Jensine's face shifted into an uncommon expression, one that was soft with longing, and she took a deep breath, blinking up at the stars. "I wish your father was here."

Half-wondering if her mother had had one too many glasses of wine, Brenna exchanged a glance with Caith, though neither of them said anything, instead waiting to see if Jensine would continue. When she didn't, Caith cleared his throat and indicated the party before them. "Yeah, me too. I think Dad would have liked this."

Jensine gave a short, sharp laugh. "Garris hated parties. He would have escaped to the barn as soon as he could have." She looked over at Brenna and offered her daughter a warm look. "He would have danced with you, though. He would have thought you looked beautiful. He would have been right."

Working to stave off her surging emotions, Brenna nodded and glanced down at her plate, unsure of what to say. A moment later, though, she looked back up at her mother, who was watching her grandchildren. "Do you think Dad would have liked Rex?"

Caith glanced over at this, and they both watched as Jensine sipped her drink with a thoughtful expression. Finally, the blonde woman nodded once, slowly. "It might have taken a while for him to come around," she added, her eyes shifting back to her children. "You were always his little girl, Brenna, and he was very protective of you."

She smiled to herself, perhaps at some distant memory, then sipped her drink again. "But Rex is a good man. Garris would have seen that, eventually."

The three of them sat quietly for a few more minutes as Brenna finished her meal, then stretched out her legs again to wriggle her toes in the cool grass, which felt wonderful on her swollen feet. She glanced at the others and saw that Rex and Ahsoka had stopped dancing; now they were discussing something with the brown-haired fellow that the Jedi had brought. Iri and Tavi had found the clones, and from what she could tell, Brenna realized that the toddler was using all of her considerable charm to try and finagle some more dessert out of one of her many uncles.

_She'll be ricocheting off the walls, tonight, _Brenna thought with a sigh. _No honeymoon for me and Rex, __I guess. _She wasn't upset with her daughter, of course, but her hormones had been much more active than usual – especially after seeing how nicely Rex filled out the shirt she'd gotten him for the ceremony – and she found herself thinking of her husband's muscled torso and broad shoulders with longing. Maybe she could at least get him to rub her feet, if they didn't have time or energy for anything more physical.

The evening was balmy; there was a gentle breeze that ruffled her hair and her dress, she wasn't hungry and her feet were much less sore than before, so Brenna took another moment to close her eyes and savor the peace. Jensine and Caith had resumed talking business, but she had little interest in conversations about the quagga, instead choosing to listen to the song that Jesse had started to play: a quiet, romantic melody that she'd always liked.

"I was going to ask you to dance, but you look like you're ready for bed." Her husband's voice lifted her out of her drowsy state; her eyes opened and she saw Rex kneeling beside her chair. At her look, he smiled and placed a hand on her belly, the silver band he wore winking as it caught the lights above their heads. As his other hand moved to twine in her hair, she thought he looked happy. Peaceful, for the most part, though she caught a trace of anxiousness in his eyes that she chalked up to his constant concern over the pregnancy.

Brenna stretched out her legs again and regarded him. "I'd like to dance with my husband," she said, holding out her hand. "But I might need help getting out of this chair."

"Happy to oblige." He stood and took her hand, pulling her to her feet with ease. After nodding to Caith and Jensine, Rex led her to the patio, though he stopped before they reached the bricks and looked down at her feet. "No shoes?"

She shook her head and reached her arms around his waist, so that she could rest her head on his shoulder, and she felt rather than heard his low chuckle as a reverberation in his chest. The song was of the slow, swaying variety, and she was thankful, because that really the only kind of dancing she thought she could manage right now. She shifted so that her arms were around his neck, and she sighed when she felt his hands rest on her hips, holding her as close as was possible given her swollen stomach.

The music drifted around them, the lights twinkled above their heads like so many stars, and Rex's body was warm and familiar against hers, reminding her that she could never be close enough to this man. He was solid in a way that was unlike anything else in the galaxy, and pressed as she was against him, each inhale brought her his scent. _Home._ She exhaled into the shell of his ear, half-thinking, half-whispering: _I love you._

"I love you, too," he replied, turning his head to speak so that his breath feathered her cheek. His hands tightened on her hips, not possessively, but with an intent that made her shiver.

They didn't say anything else for about half of the song, until she felt him chuckle again. Pulling back, she blinked at her husband, hoping she looked more awake than she felt. "What's so funny?"

Rex kissed her cheek, gently, then murmured into her ear. "It occurred to me: I wanted to marry you so much, I did it twice."

* * *

_Soundtrack for this chapter: "Hold On," performed by MoZella, (when Fives and Bren are dancing), and "I Only Want To Be With You," performed by Shelby Lynne, (when Bren and Rex are dancing.) Both are available an YouTube, and worth a listen. :)_

_Told ya' there'd be tons of fluff after all that angst. ;) Thanks for sticking around! We're drawing to the story's close; there are 43 chapters total and two epilogues, so not much longer to go. _

_Next time: Rex's experience during the reception, plus his wedding gift to Bren. _


	41. Chapter 41

**Chapter Forty-One**

_A few minutes earlier..._

Rex had never danced before, and he was starting to understand why. Even the non-formal variety was trickier than it looked, a series of coordinated movements that were unlike anything else he was familiar with. While he wanted to blame his inability to master it on the fact that the glass of sparkling wine he'd had was going to his head, he knew that wasn't really true. Marliss was a patient teacher, though, and he felt bad for stepping on her feet as many times as he had.

The fourth time it happened, she gave him a wry look after he apologized. "Don't worry," she said as she indicated Fives, who was sashaying around with Brenna like he'd been born to it. "It took him _hours _to get it right; the moment he found out there was going to be dancing at your wedding, he made me practice almost non-stop. I think he did it just so he could show off."

_Once an ARC trooper, always an ARC trooper, _Rex thought with a shake of his head. "I wouldn't put it past him."

The blonde woman laughed, her green eyes crinkling with merriment. "I think he's a little jealous that we didn't get a party when we got married," she said as she evaded another inadvertent foot-stomp. "Like a trip to Zeltros wasn't enough."

There was only mild amusement in her voice, but Rex cleared his throat at the mention of Zeltros, and decided to focus on making it through the rest of the dance without stepping on Marliss' feet any more. Of course he'd been told there would be dancing at the reception, and in retrospect it should have occurred to him to practice. But he'd been busy with quagga training, raising his daughter, and caring for his pregnant wife, not to mention preparing his surprise for Bren.

He hoped she'd like it.

A glance showed him that Fives and his wife – two times over, now – were deep in discussion, but she caught his eye and mouthed, _I love you,_ which sent a thrill of happiness through him, so he returned the words with a half-smile that made her cheeks grow pink. The sight made him anxious to have her in his arms again. He could tell by the way Bren was moving that her feet were probably starting to bother her, and he considered advising her to take a break, but before he could do so, the song ended and he watched as she bid Fives farewell and made her way towards the tables, presumably to sit down.

Satisfied, Rex thanked Marliss for the dance, smiling to himself as she and Fives made a beeline for one another as the next song began; a glance showed him that his wife and daughter were both occupied, but before he could move to join either of them, he felt a light tap on his shoulder.

"May I have this dance, Mr. Damaris?" Ahsoka's voice was teasing and when he turned, her grin widened. Beyond her, he could make out Bonteri seated and conversing with several of Jensine's neighbors.

"Sure, kid," he replied, and he chuckled when her eyes rolled skyward at the nickname. "I'm not great at this dancing thing, though," he said as he put his hand in hers when the next song began. "So you should watch your feet."

Ahsoka laughed. "Thanks for the warning."

Neither of them spoke for a minute or two as they caught the rhythm of the music; it was a light, wordless melody that sounded vaguely familiar, like something he'd heard once, a long time ago, but couldn't place where or when, or what he'd been doing when he'd heard it. He fumbled a little bit, but Ahsoka was sure-footed and had the Force to give her notice of a misstep on his part, so after the first minute or so when he didn't crush her toes, he was able to relax a little more and enjoy the moment.

Despite the stage makeup that obscured her markings, Ahsoka looked like...Ahsoka. There was something about her that he thought he'd know anywhere, even if she changed every single thing about her appearance. There was something about her that would always be striking, no matter how she looked.

That thought gave him pause. _Striking_. She was, though, and it was a realization that did not bring him any pain or discomfort, or make him think he was – on some level – being unfaithful to Bren. It was true; Ahsoka was beautiful, inside and out, and he cared for her as a dear friend, even if it had not always been so.

As they danced, he studied her and thought again, _yes, she is beautiful. _It was no surprise that he'd once harbored romantic feelings for his friend, and for a few moments, buoyed by his own relaxation and – perhaps – the wine, he allowed himself a few idle musings of what-may-have-been. In truth, he had no real way to know what shape either of their lives would have taken had things not worked out as they had. Perhaps, if she hadn't fallen for Bonteri, and he hadn't met Brenna-

"Cred for your thoughts?" Her voice was quiet, nearly blending in with the music.

Rex blinked and regarded her again, feeling a little bit like he was emerging from a dream. "Just thinking about...the past."

She smiled at him. It was a softer smile than the one she'd given before, though again, there was only happiness within the look. "Me too. I was thinking-" She paused and he watched her eyes dart behind him, to where he knew Bonteri was seated. "I was thinking that I'm really happy where we each wound up," she said at last, looking back his way.

Of their own accord, his eyes found Brenna again; he noted that her shoes were off and she was rubbing her toes through the grass, which confirmed that her feet were hurting. Thankfully, that was something he could take care of, later. He smiled to himself and looked back at Ahsoka. "Yeah. Me too."

"Thank you for not letting me give up on him," she said, indicating Bonteri with a tilt of her head. "I think I'd have regretted it. And...thank you for being such a good friend, Rex."

He tightened his grip on her hand. "Anytime, anywhere, Ahsoka."

A few minutes later, the song ended.

As Ahsoka slipped off, Rex got himself another flute of the sparkling Alderaani wine, half-wishing that it was ale, and considered going to Bren; however, she was talking to her mother and brother – and eating, quite happily, too – so he looked for Iri and found that his daughter was also occupied, working the dessert table and entertaining Kix, Coric, Chopper, and a few of the other clones who'd found their way to the area. He sighed. She'd be completely wild if she ate too much sugar, but the smudge of chocolate on her face indicated that it was too late to stop such a thing from happening, so decided to let her have her fun, this one evening.

There was something he still needed to speak to Ahsoka about, anyway. His friend had returned to Bonteri, who was alone, now, watching her with a look in his eyes that Rex recognized as pure infatuation, and he chuckled to himself as he approached the pair. Ahsoka had taken a seat beside the young man, and had started to dig into the roasted gorak, but at Rex's approach she looked up and gestured to the food with her fork.

"This is delicious," she said, the words slightly muffled as if her mouth was full. "Remind me to compliment Mrs. Damaris on her roasted gorak. Seriously," she added as Bonteri chuckled. "This is fantastic! Don't you think it's fantastic?"

"It's very fantastic," he replied, smiling at her as Rex slid into the chair across from them. "The _most_ fantastic."

She harrumphed, but when she looked at Rex, he could see that she was pleased with the young man's teasing. She gave a swallow, then regarded him with curiosity. "What's up, Rexter?"

Sipping his drink, he glanced around to ensure that no one else was within earshot, then looked back between the pair as he set the glass down. "How is...everything going?"

Bonteri tilted his head in momentary confusion but Ahsoka's expression turned thoughtful. She took a few seconds to deliberately select another bite of her dinner, acting casual, as if they were still discussing the quality of the food. "Good, for the most part. We're still getting things off the ground, so it's a little...fumbling, right now, you know?"

Nodding, Rex toyed with the bottom of the flute and considered how to best phrase his next words. "Are you still in contact with Senator Organa?"

Bonteri shifted in his chair but Ahsoka's face did not change; instead, her expression remained mild, though he could hear the barest edge of seriousness in her voice as she speared another piece of roasted gorak with her fork. "To a degree. There's only so much he can be involved with."

She lifted the fork to her lips, then paused and looked at him. "Any particular reason you're asking?"

More seriousness had crept into her tone, and he thought he knew why, but in the interest of keeping appearances light, Rex sipped his drink again, ensuring that the movement was casual. "I was wondering if he might need any slicing work done." He allowed himself a smile. "I happen to know someone who's very talented in that area, who could do a lot of good work for him."

As she chewed, Ahsoka exchanged glances with Bonteri, who lifted his shoulders in a way that seemed to say, _it's up to you._ Nodding, she looked back at Rex and swallowed the last of her food. "Maybe. I can look into it, and let you know."

"Thanks." Rex relaxed into his chair a little more and watched Iri out of the corner of his eye; she'd managed to get Kix to give her a piece of pie and was happily consuming it, splattering her dress with bright, purple filling. He hoped that it could be easily cleaned and looked back at his friend. "Bren's gotten a bit of freelance work, but I'm hoping that she can find something more long-term. Nothing too...exciting," he added, frowning. "Nothing openly connected to any _side_ projects that the Senator may be working on. Something stable."

Ahsoka smiled and nodded once. "I understand, Rex."

"You have a lovely family," Bonteri added. "You want to keep them safe, but provide for them as well. It's more than commendable." He paused and took a deep breath, his eyes sweeping over the assembled guests, over the entire area that was glowing softly in the darkness, then fell back on Ahsoka, who smiled at him. He smiled back, then looked at Rex again. "What you have, what you're building...it's something bright and precious, and it reminds me why 'Soka and I are doing what we're doing."

There was conviction in the young man's words and earnestness in his eyes, so Rex inclined his head in acknowledgment. "A part of me wants to join you," he admitted after a moment, glancing between them and briefly thinking of training the rebels on Onderon. "But my life is here. My future is here."

"I know," Ahsoka replied, placing a hand on his arm. "And I wouldn't have it any other way."

There was quiet between them for a few more minutes as Ahsoka finished her meal, then Bonteri asked her to dance and she accepted. As they rose from the table, Rex did as well, thinking to find Brenna again and see if she'd rested enough to dance with him. He glanced around for Iri, and seeing that she was still engrossed with her uncles, he made his way across the patio, towards the cool, green grass where his wife was seated with her family.

Bren's legs were stretched out, the soles of her feet resting along the grass, and her hands were cradled around her stomach. Her head was tilted to the side, her eyes were closed and her lips were slightly parted as if she was sleeping. The lights from the patio cast her in a luminescent glow, and again he thought that she was the most beautiful person he'd ever seen.

At his approach, Caith and Jensine greeted him, but he hardly noticed as he knelt beside Bren, thinking to rouse her as gently as possible, because while he wanted her to get as much rest as she needed, he didn't think she wanted to sleep the evening away. And of course, there was his surprise.

"I was going to ask you to dance, but you look like you're ready for bed," he said, holding his face close to hers.

Her eyes fluttered open and she blinked at him a few times as she emerged from her impromptu nap, and again he was struck with her beauty; he'd heard that pregnancy made a woman look particularly lovely to her mate, but he didn't think that his perception of his wife was entirely due to that fact. No, Brenna was beautiful because she _was. _That's all there was to it.

Absently, Rex placed a hand on her stomach, hoping to feel the the baby move, then lifted his other hand to reach for her hair; he moved the strands through his fingers and savored the scent that greeted him because it was _her. _Desire filled him, but it was passion only in part. The bulk of it was centered on giving her what she wanted, everything she wanted, because he knew as long as he could be with this woman, as long as they shared their lives, he would be content.

With her and Iri, and the life they were building around them, he felt like a whole man.

It felt like it had taken so much hardship to reach this point, but there was no doubt in Rex's mind that he would have gone through it all again, if it meant he could still end up here, with the woman he loved and his children. His family.

Despite these pleasant thoughts, he felt the nervousness in his gut, again; she would like his surprise, of course she would. No question.

He hoped.

Because her stomach was growing a little unwieldy, she needed help getting out of her chair; as he did so, he shot a glance to Caith and Jensine, the latter of whom offered him a conspiratorial wink, and he sighed. _Soon_.

He felt a moment of concern over the fact that Bren was barefoot, as he had no wish to break her toes, but thankfully the music was not something that he'd have to waltz to and she seemed content to wrap her arms around him and do little more than sway from side to side. This close, each breath brought him her scent. Her body was so warm against him, and he savored the feel of her, thinking he could never be close enough to her, thinking there was nowhere else he wanted to be than _here. _

"I love you," she murmured into his ear, her arms tightening around his neck. The movement of her body against his filled him with another kind of desire, and as he replied in kind he squeezed her hips, hoping she would understand, hoping that she, too, felt the same way. He thought she did, for he felt her tremble beneath his hands.

Longing flared within him, right along with the anxious feeling that he really should have set aside by now. _Soon, _he thought, kissing her forehead. _Very soon. _

Rex lost count of the exact number of minutes that passed, but he thought it was perhaps another half-hour that he danced with his wife. They both knew that their daughter was safe and happy with the rest of their family, and the music surrounded them was easy to get lost to while they were so close together, so they did. While they danced, he forgot to be nervous, though he was still very careful not to step on her feet.

Finally, Bren pulled away and blinked up at him. "I'll be right back," she said, indicating the house. "The little one's playing bolo-ball with my bladder."

As she slipped out of his arms to make her way to the house, he couldn't help but grin at the mention of the sport. Left alone on the dance-floor, Rex glanced around for his daughter and sighed when he spotted her; Iri's legs were splayed across Jensine's lap and her head was resting against her grandmother's shoulder, and he thought that she was fast asleep. Jensine was rubbing the toddler's arm as she spoke to Caith and Edme, who were also seated at the table, Tavi snuggled against his dad, seemingly as zonked out as his cousin. Kix sat with them as well, leaning easily back in his chair and regarding the area in a wide-eyed manner that made Rex think his brother was perhaps a little tipsy.

Rex approached the table and knelt beside Iri, stroking her curls and ensuring that she was well. When he looked up at Jensine, the blonde woman lifted a brow. "I think she's down for the night."

"We can put her to bed if you want to take Brenna, now," Caith added, shifting his hold on his son.

Nodding, Rex looked back at his daughter. He wanted to say goodnight but was reluctant to wake her up just to satisfy his own desire, so he was torn for a moment. However, he was saved from having to make a decision when she gave a huge yawn and her eyes peeked open to regard him. "Daddy?"

"Hey, kiddo," he replied, leaning up to kiss her forehead. "Ready for bed?"

"No." She buried her face in Jensine's dress-shirt and shook her head. "Want to stay up. Want more pie."

Rex glanced over at Kix, who looked guilty for one instant as he gave Rex a sheepish smile. Jensine, however, only chuckled and rubbed the toddler's back. "I think you've had enough pie for one day, Irini."

"I'd have to agree." Brenna's voice made Rex glance over his shoulder to see his wife approaching, her dress swaying with her movements. She came to stand beside him so that she could regard Iri. "It's bedtime, sweetheart. I'll take her, Mom."

This was said to Jensine, but the blonde woman only shifted her hold on the toddler and gave Rex a deliberate look. He stood up, too, slowly, and watched as Brenna's forehead creased in confusion. "I have something to show you," he said to her. "But it's not here. Jensine and Caith offered to put Iri to bed for us."

"What is it?" There was bemusement in her voice.

Rex shook his head. "It's a surprise." As her confusion seemed to strengthen, he added, "An overnight surprise," hoping she'd get the hint.

Brenna studied him for a few moments, then looked at the others. "Do all of you know?"

Her brother cleared his throat, but it was Jensine who spoke. "We'll take care of her, Brenna," she said, indicating Iri, who'd fallen back asleep as the adults spoke. "Don't worry about a thing."

There was a moment where he thought she'd refuse to go unless he told her what was going on, and because he didn't blame her for the feeling, he very nearly gave everything away. Eventually, though, she seemed to shake off any doubt and she agreed to play along. After kissing their daughter goodnight and bidding the remaining guests goodbye, they made their way to one of the speeders, which had – much to Rex's surprise – been covered with hundreds of flower petals, probably at the same time that his and Bren's overnight things had been stowed.

"Very...colorful," she said as she settled in the passenger's seat. "Did you know they were going to do this?"

Rex exhaled and brushed a few dozen pink petals off of the controls. "No. Is this another tradition I'm unaware of?"

She laughed and nodded, then glanced at him as he started the speeder. "Where are we going?"

In response, he reached around her shoulders and pulled her close. "You'll see."

The air that slid by them was cool against his skin, and the stars were clearly visible with so few lights around. Rex thought that she was more tired than she wanted to admit, for she leaned her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, letting her hair be lifted by the breeze of their passage through the night.

It wasn't a long drive, not at all. Soon he was maneuvering the vehicle down the winding driveway, towards a modest, blue house that was tucked within a stand of curling hydendock trees that were not ready to bloom, quite yet.

Soon, though.

There were a few lamps on inside, and there was one set on the porch, facing the yard and the driveway and pooling its light just beyond the edge of the speeder. It was quiet, save for the humming engine and the faint rustle of wind in the trees.

When he shut off the speeder, Bren's head lifted and she looked around, blinking in confusion. "Caith and Edme's house? Rex...what are we doing here?"

Rex took a deep breath to stave off his nerves, then reached for her hand. "Welcome home, Bren."

* * *

_There've been a few hints dropped about Rex's surprise, so hopefully it's not coming out of left field. _

_On Rex and Ahsoka: I don't ship them, but as I've said, I do think they have a strong friendship, one that I enjoy writing. I couldn't resist tossing in a bit of "what-if" here, mostly as an homage to all of the wonderfully-written stories that pair them romantically. It's a part of our little fanon here in the TCW 'verse, after all. :)_

_Thanks for reading! _

_Next time: Home, at last. _


	42. Chapter 42

**Chapter Forty-Two**

As Rex slipped out of the speeder and stepped onto the driveway, Brenna felt herself frown and looked around again. "Home? But...?"

"Come on," Rex said, taking her hand and helping her out of the vehicle. "Let me show you."

He led her down the little walkway that curved towards the steps of her brother's house, then they made their way up to the porch, which was where she stopped him again. "Rex?"

All she needed to do was say his name; he caught on to her confusion and looked at her again, taking both of her hands in his own. A breeze sent his shirt rippling over his torso as it did the same to the hem of her dress, which billowed around their feet, and his expression was half cast in shadow by the lamp on the porch. He took a deep breath, as if to steady himself. "It's not Caith and Edme's house, anymore. It's ours."

She felt her head shaking. "Ours...? I don't...how?"

A half-smile came across his face and he indicated the front door, again pulling her along as they stepped inside. Within, everything looked the same as it had the last time she was here, a few months ago. The living room, scattered with a few of Tav's toys; the kitchen, tidy and small with its round dining table and curtained windows that Edme had said she'd sewn; the stairs that led to the bedrooms, to the room she'd spent so much time in, when she'd returned from the _Resolute_.

She hadn't spent as much time here recently as she apparently had in the past, but it didn't matter, because this house still felt like a _home. _

Rex tightened his hand over hers. "We still need to get our stuff in here, but it's _ours_, Bren. Yours, mine, Iri's and-" He placed his other hand over her stomach. "-the little one's."

Still stunned, she couldn't really form a coherent sentence. All she could do was gape at him. Apprehension crossed his face again, but she could see that he was working to fight it away while he led her through the living room as he continued. "It's perfect. We all know this place, already, and it's not too far away from your mother's house, so I can commute to the ranch pretty easily. That wasn't a long ride, right?"

She shook her head wordlessly and he nodded, seemingly satisfied. As they walked through the lower level, he indicated the stairs, his voice growing more eager with each word. "There's _room _here, Bren, for all of us. You won't have to live with your mother anymore, but you can still keep your workspace there, if you want. Jensine's fine with it. And-"

"Rex," she broke in, causing him to halt his steps as he looked back at her. "What are Caith and Edme going to do?" They'd stopped at the entrance to the kitchen, which she could see had been recently cleaned; everything from the the tiled counter-tops to the round, wooden table gleamed beneath the low light above the sink, the only illumination in the room at the moment.

"They love your mother's house," he replied at once. "They want to live there. It seemed like the most logical option."

Brenna looked through a slit in the curtains, out the windows, to the darkness beyond. He was right; her mother's house wasn't far, and she did remember hearing her brother and Edme say something about wanting to move out there, permanently. But still. "To...swap houses?"

"Yes." He straightened, his body automatically sliding into parade-rest, as it sometimes did when he was uncertain with how a situation would play out. Some things, she thought, were too deeply ingrained within him to ever be forgotten, and she found that she loved him a little bit more for the fact.

She said nothing as she continued to move through the kitchen on her own, running her hands along the polished woodgrain of the table. As she did so, little things trickled back into her memory: sharing a cup of tea with her brother and his wife right after she'd left home; Tucker's knee bouncing beneath the table's surface as they spoke about his squad-mates; her comlink buzzing the night of Order 66.

The memories made her throat get tight, and even as she was dismayed at the fact that her hormones were making her so emotional, she felt a strange kind of joy swell within her; even though she didn't remember just why, she knew she'd always loved this place.

"Bren?" There was nervousness in his voice, and when she looked up to see him watching her, she knew at once that he could not read her expression. "Are you...is this...okay?"

She blinked at him, still a bit overcome to speak more than a few words. "You bought us a house?"

This made him frown, as if deep in thought. "Sort of. It's technically part of the Damaris' family, as are you – and me, now, I guess – so it's..." He trailed off as she nodded and ran her hand along the dining table again. Finally he exhaled and his arms fell to his sides as he stepped towards her. "Bren, I wanted us to have a place of our own. A place we can share. A place where we can raise our kids, a place we can always come back to, no matter where else we go. A home."

"What about your brothers?"

His eyes still held traces of anxiety but his shoulders lifted into a shrug. "They're doing pretty well without me. We're all making our own lives, out here. I'll miss being close to them, but other things are more important, now." He took a breath and reached for her hand, the one he'd slid the ring onto, hours ago. "Right?"

She looked around one more time, then met his eyes. "And everyone knew about this?"

He nodded once, then seemed to hesitate as he spoke, as his words became more halting with each passing moment. "Is it okay? I mean...all of this, is it okay? I didn't ask you about it, I know, but it...seemed like a good idea, and I thought...well, I wanted to surprise you."

Brenna shook her head, and watched his face fall. However, she was still gathering her words, so she squeezed his hand and smiled at him. "It's...wonderful, Rex. It's...perfect."

Relief swept across his face, but in his fashion she thought he had to be sure before he'd truly give himself over to the emotion, so he took a deep breath and put his hands on her shoulders, meeting her eyes with all seriousness. "You're sure? You're really happy with this?"

"Yes," she replied, her hands cradling her stomach out of habit as she felt herself beaming at him. "I'm happy with this, Rex."

"Oh, good," he said with an exhale and a half-smile. "You had me worried for a second."

She opened her mouth to reply, but a gentle, pulsing motion against her hand made her look down. Rex, of course, immediately caught the meaning of her look, and his hands dropped from her shoulders to cover her belly along with her own; his hands were broad and warm beside hers, and for a few moments they stood, feeling.

Her husband hardly appeared to be breathing, so intent was his focus, though after a few minutes he exhaled and looked up at her, delight and fierce pride in his eyes. "Bolo-ball is right," he murmured. "This kid's strong."

"Tell me about it," she said with a grimace as the baby kicked her insides, again.

Rex's expression changed to one of sympathy and he embraced her shoulders, indicating the way out of the kitchen. "I thought we could sleep here, tonight. I had some of our overnight things brought over." He lifted his brow at her and something familiar gleamed in his eyes. "You up for a foot rub?"

She smiled at him and nodded, and as they began to step through the house – their house – together, she slid her hand around his waist. This new development, along with her earlier nap had revived her a little bit, and she found that she was eager to spend some time with her husband, alone. "Maybe _more_ than just a foot rub," she ventured as they reached the stairs. "I could use a distraction, and you're an excellent one."

He made no reply other than a satisfied, half-smile, and they went upstairs, together.

* * *

_Months later..._

Brenna was tired of being pregnant.

Unfortunately, the little one was apparently quite happy where he or she was and had refused to come out, and Brenna knew that the constant waiting was starting to wear on both her and Rex. Her due date had come and gone without so much as a false-labor-pang, and Rex, who had been as prepared as anyone could be for the birth of his child, had been at something of a loss. She'd tried to reassure him that this was common, but she could tell that the idea of waiting any longer did not sit well with her husband.

The week after her due-date had been tense. At first, every sharp intake of her breath or wince had caused Rex to practically launch into the coordinated plan he'd put together of the quickest way to get her to the medcenter in Belleau-a-Lir, until she'd finally told him to be patient, half-joking, half-threatening to make it an _order_ because really, it was getting a bit tiresome to be asked constantly, "is it time?"

Of course she was irritable and anxious as well, and while her memories of doing this before were returning, this was a new experience for her husband, so she'd apologized. Eventually, they'd decided that he needed a distraction and she needed to be left alone, so it was one late spring afternoon that she found her house full of clones, all of them riveted to the vid-screen that was showing the Galactic Cup Semifinals.

Bolo-ball had accomplished what she'd thought to be an impossible task: keeping Rex's mind occupied thoroughly enough for her to relax and nap a little, without either of them worrying about the other.

As Brenna lay curled up on a cushy, love-seat, her eyes were closed, but she knew the clones well enough now to distinguish between them. Right now, Jesse was whooping from his place at the far end of the couch. "Come _on, _you lazy son of a nerf-herder! GO!"

"He _is_ lazy," Coric said, his tone vaguely disgruntled. Brenna heard the sound of a bottle of ale settling on the low table before the couch, then the former medic spoke again. "Look at how slow that guy's running."

Kix sighed. "Any of us could outpace him."

"Kriff, _I _could outpace that, and I'm just a civvie," Caith replied from his place on the end of the couch closest to Brenna. Despite the quiet, rolling cramps that she'd been experiencing the last few days, she smiled to herself, because her brother sounded like he was happy to be among the clones.

Her smile faded when she felt a stronger cramp than before, but a few deep breaths allowed her to work through the pain. They'd started several days after she was supposed to give birth, and at the first indication of contractions, Rex had practically carried her to the medcenter...for nothing. The cramps were common, apparently, and were not necessarily early signs of labor, so she'd been instructed by Dr. Bores to return only after her waters broke. In case it happened quickly, Jensine had offered to take Iri for the next few days – kriff, she hoped it didn't take any longer than that – until Brenna went into labor.

The entire house was baby-proofed, the nursery was long since ready. They had a massive supply of diapers, formula, clothes, blankets and everything else they would possibly need. Iri had been well-versed in her role as a big sister and seemed to be looking forward to meeting her new sibling. Rex had practiced diapering until he'd announced he could diaper _anything,_ practically in his sleep. The quickest route to the Belleau-a-Lir medcenter had been mapped and tested by Rex and Caith, with alternate routes in case of traffic or other unexpected delays. Jesse and Chopper had gone over the speeder at least a dozen times, checking to ensure that it was in perfect working order.

All they had to do now was wait.

"My kid could outpace that," Rex added, a scowl in the words. "Bylluran Athletic is making a pretty poor showing this year." Despite the annoyance in his tone, the reverberation of his voice from his place beside her on the love-seat was pleasant, and she felt his hand absently reach for her stomach as if to stroke.

Her first inclination was to shift away, as she had started feeling an aversion to being touched and prodded after so many doctor's visits, but she reined the feeling in and held still. His hand lightly brushed her stomach, then rested on the curve, as if just allowing her to feel his presence. The warmth of his skin was also a comfort, even though the cramps were growing a little more unpleasant with each passing moment.

Apparently another play was happening. Rex's hand lifted and the clones and Caith fell into anticipatory silence. Brenna exhaled. Sleeping wasn't really possible, because of the cramps and her huge, swollen belly – among other things – and she'd been unwilling to be too far away from Rex, so she'd decided to just try and drift off while the guys watched their bolo-ball. It was kind of nice, actually. Their talk was often amusing and while she wasn't the galaxy's most avid bolo-ball fan, she was interested enough to try and keep up with the game.

In the background, one of the guys swore softly, but she thought the play was still happening for they remained quiet, otherwise, and she took another deep breath, sinking further into repose. Her thoughts meandered to the list of possible names they'd come up with...she thought there was one in particular that Rex favored, though he'd been reluctant to say anything of the sort, especially since they still didn't know the sex of the child, but she knew he'd be happy no matter what, and she would be, too.

Besides-

Jesse's shout was not the thing that pulled her from her near-sleep, though it probably would have been in any other circumstance. "_Kriff_, he almost had it," the tattooed clone said in a disgusted voice. "What in the nine Corellian hells is going _on_ with this team?"

No, it was a sharp pang, harsher than any cramp she'd felt so far, that caused Brenna's eyes to open and her breath to catch.

"He's got it," Caith said, his voice rising into a shout. "He's going for it!"

Chopper spoke next, his voice uncommonly forceful. "_Go_, you lazy barve!"

The others, Rex included, broke into a strange chorus of insults and encouragement to the players on the vid-screen before them, and Brenna's hand moved to her stomach, where another, rippling pain appeared, and she felt something warm and wet trickle down the insides of her thighs, a sensation that she remembered all-too-well. _Finally._

The clones and Caith were still shouting at the bolo-ball players. Brenna sat up as best she could and regarded her husband, whose eyes were fixed on the game; apparently the distraction was still working and he'd not noticed the change in her position. For one silly moment she felt a little bad for breaking his calm, as he'd been so agitated the week, but the feeling passed.

Taking a deep breath as another, painful contraction moved through her, Brenna pitched her voice as calmly as she could. "Rex."

Although Rex immediately flicked his eyes in her direction, she could tell that part of his attention was still on the game.

"Oh, kriffing hell! He dropped it!" Jesse sounded disgusted, but she only had eyes for her husband, who was now regarding her with trepidation.

Brenna nodded at her belly. "My waters broke. It's time."

Rex's eyes widened and his breath caught; she watched as his entire body was trapped in stillness for one instant while a host of emotions played across his face – shock, relief, joy, fear – then he bolted upright, causing everyone to whirl around and face the former captain as the vid-screen showed a recap of the last play.

"Battle stations," he roared, suddenly and completely "Captain Rex" again, despite his civilian garb. "Heads up! Move out! It's _go_ time, lads!"

Immediately, the clones – and Caith, to Brenna's amusement – leaped out of their seats and began bustling through the house, carrying out their pre-assigned tasked with brisk, military efficiency: Chopper grabbed the bags that were filled with Bren and Rex's overnight items and raced for the door to set them in the speeder; Caith was on his heels, having been tasked with piloting the vehicle and dealing with it once they reached the medcenter; Jesse was on the comm to the medcenter, alerting them that Bren and Rex were on their way; Kix and Coric were doing a brief check of Brenna's vitals, something that Rex had insisted on, though she thought it was a going a little too far.

Really, though, she never failed to be impressed by the clones' efficiency. They'd planned out almost every aspect of this moment, and she knew that she was in good and capable hands; it was amusing, too, to see that each clone had seemed to have fallen back into his military persona while carrying out this new "mission."

While the others bustled around them Rex stood by, taking her hand in his and asking her what felt like a hundred questions that all sounded the same. "Are you in pain? Are you okay? How far apart are you contractions? How much-"

"She's fine, Captain," Kix broke in, his hand on Brenna's wrist as he checked her pulse.

Coric, who'd taken her temperature, gave her an apologetic look even though she could see the anxiety in his eyes; none of them had been through anything like this, before. "Everything checks out normal."

"We're ready to go, Captain," Chopper said as he barreled back into the room, thumbing behind him towards the driveway, where Brenna could make out Caith and the speeder.

Nodding, Rex took a deep breath and met Brenna's eyes. Within his, she saw again how nervous he was, though she could also see that he was working to stave off the feeling, so she smiled at him, despite the contraction that was beginning to ripple through her body. "Are _you_ ready?" she asked.

He gave a helpless laugh and put his hand on her waist, guiding her towards the door, out to where their ride was waiting. "Not really."

* * *

_The first section is inspired by one of my favorite scenes from "The Office." The second section makes me giggle waaay too much. :P I don't have kids and have never been pregnant, so I did a lot of research on going into labor, as well as talked to a few friends who've experienced it, so this section is as accurate as I can make it. If you see a glaring error, please let me know. :)_

_Wow. One more chapter left! I can hardly believe it...do you know I started writing this fic about a year and a half ago? Time flies when you're doing what you love. Thank you so much for reading. _

_Next time: "Hours later, Rex's hand ached."_


	43. Chapter 43

**Chapter Forty-Three**

Hours later, Rex's hand ached.

He hardly noticed though, because pain was such a minor feeling when compared to the host of other sensations that were spiraling through him right now. Brenna's grip was strong, but she was stronger, and later on he would think that never in his life had he been so proud and so completely terrified for anyone like he was for her during the birth of their child.

It lasted...well, he wasn't sure, really. Rex's entire world had shrunk to the woman beside him, to her primal cries and the tears that were streaming down her cheeks, to the way her hair was matted to her face and the ever-present grip of his hand in hers. Nothing else existed; he was only vaguely aware of the soft lights of the delivery room or the comforting voice of the Nautolan doctor who was helping Brenna. If asked in that moment, he honestly couldn't have said if he was hungry or tired or scared or anything, because all of his focus was on the woman he loved.

"There's the head," Dr. Bores said, her voice lifting easily above Brenna's gasps. "One more push, Brenna."

Both of Rex's hands were around Bren's single one; she was gripping his right hand hard enough to shatter the bones, or so it felt, and he'd covered hers with his left, pressing their skin as close as he could as if he could will his own strength into his wife.

"You're doing so well," he whispered, though whether it was to her or himself he wasn't quite sure.

He had no idea, not really. It was all so _much_. Pain, fear, joy, hope...they were all coalescing within him until he thought there was no way he could contain any more emotion; as it was, he was so strung with tension he thought for sure he'd fracture apart any second now. Brenna whimpered and her red-rimmed eyes met his as her head turned, slightly. Her mouth opened but no sound came out and in the next moment her eyes squeezed shut and her grip on his hand tightened again, impossibly, and he said her name, he thought, but he wasn't sure of anything once he heard his child start to cry.

It was a sound like no other.

High, plaintive, angry, scared.

Alive.

His child. Bren's child. _Their_ child.

There was something wet on his face but he hardly registered the fact when Dr. Bores spoke again, the Nautolan's voice lilting easily above the baby's cries. "A healthy little girl," she said, handing the child to the assistant, who would clean the infant before bringing her to her parents. "Congratulations."

_A girl. _Brenna's eyes were on his but her grip had slackened somewhat, and it was only when her fingers lifted out of his grasp to brush against his face that Rex realized he was crying, too. Neither one of them seemed capable of speech, but again it hardly mattered when they were with each other.

"Here she is." Dr. Bores' Human assistant stood before him, holding a bundle in a pale, peach-colored blanket. "She's perfect."

_Perfect_. The word echoed in Rex's mind as he accepted the bundle and looked into his new daughter's face for the first time. She was warm, pink and squirmy; her cries had faded somewhat but her face was contorted in such a way that suggested she was unhappy with the present circumstances, with the cold, dry air and absence of warmth that she had probably grown used to. She was so small, fitting into the crook of his arm with room to spare, and he could see the tiny edges of her fingernails on her hands, which were starting to curl upright as if she was reaching for something.

She _was_ perfect.

Rex looked at Brenna, hardly daring to speak. He saw that her eyes were open and fixed on their daughter, so he shifted in order to let her get a better look. Brenna lifted her hand to pull down the edge of the blanket that covered the infant, then she smiled.

"Hello little one," she said softly. In response, the baby made a soft, mewling sound and shifted in Rex's grasp, turning her head towards her father. Brenna smiled again, this time at him. "I think she likes you."

The doctor and her assistant were moving around, taking care of a few things, but they'd pretty much fallen away from Rex's focus in light of everything else. He knew from his research that the baby would need to eat soon, and that Bren would likely be exhausted and need to rest; he knew that he needed to let Caith know, as his brother-in-law was in charge of relaying the information to the others. He knew that he probably needed to use the 'fresher.

But all he could do was stare in awe.

Several minutes later Brenna spoke again, the sound of her voice nearly jarring him from his reverie. "What do you want to call her?"

They had a few names picked out, but he had no clue right now. He had no words at all. He was at a complete and utter loss, because in the weeks before the birth of his second child he'd wondered how he could contain any more love; his love for Iri and Brenna was something so massive, sometimes he thought that it took up his whole heart, and he'd wondered what would happen when he met his new child.

But it was a silly thing to worry about, he knew that, now. Now he understood there was no limit to the love he could contain, nor the fierce threads of protective energy and pride that were winding tighter and tighter between himself and the infant in his arms.

"I don't know," he managed after a beat, looking at his wife. Brenna nodded and exhaled, leaning her head back against the pillows; her hand was still lifted, touching the baby's blanket. Something clicked in his brain and he cleared his throat. "Do you want to hold her?"

He could see that Bren was exhausted, but she nodded eagerly. As carefully as he could manage, Rex passed their daughter to her, then leaned forward so that his face was close to his wife's. Brenna cooed wordlessly and smoothed her free hand across the infant's face, and he thought that if he'd been a Jedi like Ahsoka, he would have been able to sense her overwhelming joy.

Brenna closed her eyes and tilted her head down so that she was inhaling the scent of her baby. "What are we going to call you, little girl?" she murmured.

_How do you give someone a name? _

Rex still didn't know, exactly, but he did know that he wanted his daughter to be strong and kind, intelligent and brave. He wanted her to be happy. He wanted her to have everything she wanted, and then some.

So he leaned forward as well to breathe in the scent of his daughter. There was nothing he could compare it to and no real way to quantify it other than he thought she smelled...warm. While inhaling his daughter's new-baby scent, he mentally ran through the names they'd picked out, examining each before discarding it immediately, when Brenna spoke again. "How about 'Tana?'"

_Tana_. It had been Bren's suggestion, his favorite one, actually. It was a good name, he thought, a strong name. _Tana Damaris. _It had a pleasant ring to it; it was a name with some history, a name that would, he hoped, bring the strength and compassion of its original bearer. If the baby had been a boy, the name would have been _Tano, _but that had never felt quite right. Rex wondered if this, too, was meant to be.

"Tana," he said, stroking his daughter's smooth cheek; when she turned her head towards the sensation, a thrill of awe and amazement passed through him. "Tana Damaris. I like it."

Brenna smiled at him. "Me too."

Satisfied, Rex nodded and they both looked back at their daughter as he said, "Hello, Tana."

* * *

_Later..._

As it had every night this week, the sound of Tana's wail lifted Rex out of his sleep. His eyes opened to see the darkness of his and Bren's bedroom, lit only by the faint glow from night-lights in the kids' rooms down the hallway.

Beside him, Brenna shifted so that he could see her eyes were open as well, and for a moment they looked at each other, but he sat up first. "I'll get her."

Brenna offered him a drowsy smile and murmured something to the effect of "thank you," but the words faded before she'd finished speaking them. After pulling on a thin shirt over his sleep-pants, Rex hurried to his daughter's room and activated the lamp that was fixed along the wall so that he could see what needed to be done. Tana lay in her crib, her little limbs flailing, her face red and scrunched as she cried, and even though he'd lost track of how many times he'd replayed this exact same scenario, Rex smiled.

He bent and lifted her out of her crib, pressing her to his chest and murmuring to her as he tried to figure out what she needed. "What is it, kiddo?"

In his arms, Tana quieted a little bit, but not so much that he thought she'd just wanted attention; she smelled fresh and clean from her last diaper-change, so he decided that she was hungry, and carried her through the dark, now-quiet house to the kitchen. Several minutes later, formula bottle in hand, he settled on the couch and offered it to his daughter, who quieted as she began to suckle greedily. _Thank the Force. _

As she ate, a peaceful quiet descended upon the room, and Rex sighed and leaned his back along the cushions because his eyes felt heavy. Sometimes it wasn't this easy. A few times since they'd brought her home a week ago he'd been up for hours trying to figure out what she needed, when none of the normal things would suffice. A baby's needs were simple: to be fed, to be clean, to feel loved. Not so different from anyone's, he'd learned. Sometimes, though, Tana seemed to just want to be out of her crib, and that was okay, no matter how tired he was. Rex's daughter ate while he fought back a yawn, though he failed. His body trembled with the force of it, and he sank further into the couch.

The soft sound of bare feet on the hardwood floor caught his attention; he turned and saw Iri, standing in the entryway to the living area, rubbing at her eyes and looking at him. "Daddy?"

"_Iri'ka_," he said, fighting back another yawn as he pulled himself upright. "Did Tana wake you?" She nodded, her curls bobbing with the movement, and her lower lip began to tremble in the manner it did when she was about to cry, so he patted the cushion next to him. "Will you keep us company? When we're done, I'll tuck you back in."

Iri beamed, as much as anyone could beam while half-asleep, and padded over to him, clambering onto the couch. He paused in feeding Tana so that he could lift his arm and embrace the toddler, who snuggled into his side with a sigh. Rex sighed as well, out of relief, as he had no wish to have two screaming kids in the house right now and he was thankful to have avoided such a thing. He glanced between his girls; Iri was asleep already, her head lolling against his chest, her long lashes resting on the curve of her cheeks. Her lips were parted in her sleep, just like Bren's did.

A nudge against the bottle in his hand alerted him to the fact that Tana was finished, so as carefully as he could manage, he set the bottle aside and made sure that she was comfortable as well. Once she'd been burped, he considered putting her back in her crib, but was reluctant to move just yet. Both of them were quiet and he really was tired; having struck – for the moment – a fragile balance between different kinds of contentment, so Rex closed his eyes, leaned his head back again, and held his daughters close.

"There you are." Brenna's voice was soft but it was her touch against his shoulder that made him open his eyes. The light in the room was dim, and he could see that she was standing beside the couch, looking down at the three of them with a drowsy smile. "I wondered what happened to you."

Rex glanced at the chrono on the wall and realized that he'd been here for almost an hour, then blinked up at his wife. "Tana was hungry," he said with a yawn. "And she woke Iri up...guess we were all pretty tired."

Bren smiled at him again, then indicated Tana. "I can put her down if you want to put Iri in her room."

Rex looked between his daughters. Tana's eyes were closed, now, but he knew that they were brown, like her mother's, and the fuzz of hair on her head was dark as well, though Bren had remembered that both had been true of Irini when she'd been born, and that her eye and hair color had gradually changed as she aged. It was common among babies, so he'd come to understand; the possibilities were endless. There were countless different futures that could come about for any of them.

But right now was all that mattered.

So he glanced back up at his wife. "In a little while. Will you sit with us for a minute?"

She agreed, and he shifted carefully to one side in order to allow her room. Soon she was leaning close to him, Iri – still asleep – in her lap and his arm around her shoulders, while Tana was asleep in his other arm. Brenna rested her head against him and he dropped a kiss against her forehead, savoring the smell of the woman he loved.

When she spoke again, there was a stronger, sleepier edge to her words than had been there, before. "This is nice."

In his arms, they were safe, all of them. His girls.

Rex smiled. "This is perfect."

**The End**

* * *

_Longish note this time..._

_As I've mentioned, this fic and its predecessor are meant to mirror each other in some ways. Chapter 29 of TFK features a moment between Rex and Bren when she talks about giving birth alone, and how she would have liked to have another person with her. That was the inspiration for the birth scene in this chapter. _

_Rex and "his girls." It wasn't a planned theme, but I loved that line of Tucker's from TFK, (ch. 42), and wanted to echo the idea throughout this story. Speaking of girls, I debated quite a lot about the sex of the new child, but in the end chose to keep with the idea of Rex and his girls. :) Gosh, that name...I agonized over choosing it. :P I think it's a nice homage to Ahsoka. :)_

_It's always kind of bittersweet coming to the end of a story. While there's definitely a similar feeling during the writing process itself, it's magnified once the story is completely posted. Before now, it's still private, still existing mainly in my mind, (and heart), so it's a very personal thing to know it's all __out there for everyone to see._

_I started writing this fic in the late spring of '12. It's been a long, often emotionally draining journey getting this written and edited, but I'm proud of the final result. Many, many thanks again to _**LongLiveTheClones**_ and _**Jade-Max**_ for their awesome beta-work. If you have not done so, you should check out their stories! :)_

_We have two epilogues after this, which I hope you'll enjoy. :)_

_As always, thank you so much for reading. Really. I know I say it all the time, so the words might lose meaning, but I do always mean them. Thank you for taking an interest in my story. If you feel inclined, please let me know what you thought. _

_On to the epilogues! _


	44. Epilogue One

**Worth Fighting For**

**Epilogue One**

_Approximately ten years later..._

Much to Irini's disgust, the door did _not_ slam when she stormed out of the house and away from her parents.

She compensated by stomping down the porch steps and into the front yard, deliberately knocking a few of Tana's toys aside in the process. A gust of autumn air lifted her fair hair above her face and she shivered, regretting for one instant the fact that she'd not grabbed a sweater, but she pushed the feeling away and crossed her arms before her chest, scowling up at the cloudless sky.

Wrong. It was all wrong.

_They lied to me, _she thought with a sniff, swiping at her runny nose with the sleeve of her shirt. _My whole life...they _both_ lied to me. How _could_ they? _

She stood, swaying slightly in the wind for a moment while she debated her options. Running away was, of course, the preferred choice, but she had no way to get anywhere worthwhile, and all of her clothes, holos, and art supplies were here, anyway. If Uncle Fives and Aunt Mar had been dirtside, maybe she could have convinced them to give her a lift to...somewhere. Saleucami, maybe, so she could see Jek again.

But her aunt and uncle were offworld, having adventures of their own like so many others, and _she_ was stuck here. Probably forever.

Irini sniffed again and blinked back another hot prick of tears. Stupid parents. All Dad ever talked about was being honest and honorable, and all this time he wasn't even _her_ dad, just a guy who looked enough like her to pass as her father. _Ugh_. No wonder she just _knew _he loved Tana more.

That thought was enough to spur her steps forward, having reached a decision. It was only about five klicks to her Nana's house, and Irini knew from experience that it was a distance easily covered on foot, though she'd have preferred a quagga, or – even better – the speeder, which her father let her drive sometimes, when Mom wasn't around. It was their little secret, hers and Dad's.

_No_, she thought with another scowl, kicking up a few loose pieces of gravel as she strode along. _Not Dad. _But what? Rex? That sounded weird. She knew that he'd been a captain back when he was in the army, but the title had little meaning to her. He never talked about any of that stuff, anyway.

The gentle hum of repulsors pulled her out of her thoughts and made her pause. Turning, she lifted a hand to shade her eyes from the sun and squinted as the vehicle approached, then she sighed when she saw who sat behind the controls.

Her dad pulled up and glanced around to regard her, his customary wide-brimmed hat casting half his face in shadow. He cleared his throat and Irini braced herself for a stern reprimand, a near-order for her to _get back home at once, young lady, so we can discuss your behavior. _

What she got surprised her. "Need a lift?"

There was no trace of a scolding in her dad's voice, and as he spoke, another, more insistent gust of wind brushed over her, causing her to shiver just a little bit. But rather than answer, Irini shoved her hands in her pockets and glared at him. "No."

He simply looked at her, his eyes – the same color as hers – showing no anger or annoyance, or even worry, though if she looked very hard she thought she could make out a hint of sorrow, which startled her. When he spoke again, his voice was calm and steady as it always was. "You're going to your grandmother's, right?"

Irini nodded and he seemed satisfied as he added: "Well, so am I."

"Good for you," she said, and turned on her heels to keep walking.

There was silence for one moment, then she heard him again. "Irini Damaris."

Ugh. It was _that _tone, the one she knew so well, the one that said, _do as I say, or else you're in a huge pile of _osik_. _He was good; she had to give him that. He didn't even have to say anything other than her name because they both knew that she'd turn her butt around and do exactly as he wanted. As though it was agreeing with him, the wind kicked up again and sent a chill right through her, and when she looked back at him, Dad held up her favorite sweater, which he must have grabbed before he left the house.

"Fine," she grumbled as she made her way back to the speeder. So that he would understand how ticked-off she was, she flopped down on the seat and slammed the door shut, then crossed her arms and faced forward, unmoving.

The speeder hummed gently, but it remained still. Perplexed, she glanced at her father, who then nodded to the sweater, which she'd apparently sat upon. "Your mother thought you'd be cold," he said as Irini sighed and began to tug the sweater out from under her butt. "So did I."

Okay, it was nice to be warm, she had to admit, but she was still angry, so once she'd pulled the sweater over her head, Irini re-crossed her arms and nodded to the road ahead. "Can we just get going?"

A faint smile lifted the corner of her dad's mouth but he urged the speeder forward, and they drove in silence for a few minutes before he spoke to her again. "When we get to the ranch, I'll need you to help with Pepper and Zola," he said, as if he was completely unaware of how upset she was. "Zola's not taking to a rider as well as I'd like, so I want you on the lead-line while I-"

He broke off when Irini made a noise of disgust; his brow lifted as he regarded her for a moment, though the speeder continued its pace down the empty, winding road. "Is there a problem?" he asked.

She gave him her steeliest glare. "You can't tell me what to do," she said, scowling. "You're not my real dad, remember?"

Even as she said the words she regretted them, for the sorrow she'd noted before flared a little stronger in his eyes, for all that it faded quickly and his face returned to its normal, annoyingly stoic expression. "I remember what we talked about," he said after a beat, glancing at her again. "But you stormed out before you heard the whole story, kiddo_._"

She scowled at him again, harder. "I heard enough."

"_Iri'ka-_"

"Don't call me that," she huffed, turning her head to glare at the countryside as they zoomed by. The mountains loomed in the distance, though in the immediate area all she could make out was boring swathes of grass and the same houses that had always been around. "I'm not a little kid anymore. I'm _thirteen_."

A quiet sound escaped him at this; it was like a chuckle, but sort of sad and dark, and out of the corner of her eye she watched his grip on the controls tighten, as if he was preparing himself to speak, or perhaps preventing himself from speaking. Finally he took a deep breath and looked at her again, briefly, as he slowed the speeder's pace just a bit, then stopped it fully on the side of the road.

_Oh, kriff,_ she thought, feeling dread clutch at her belly. _This is not good._

Silence descended upon them when he cut off the engine, and for a long, long moment he said nothing, until he exhaled deeply. "Thirteen. Do you know how many lives I had taken by the time I was your age?"

The words struck her with the force of a slap. Irini felt her lips part in shock as she stared at her father, at the quiet, stern man who could somehow make her mother laugh like no one else in the galaxy. She said nothing – what could she say to that? – and he continued after a moment, his voice taking on a distant tone, as if he wasn't really even speaking to her, anymore. "Too many to remember. Mostly we fought droids, of course, but there were many, many wets – organic life-forms – who died by my blasters during the Wars.

"By the time I was four, I could shoot as well as a person six, seven, or eight times my age. By the time I was seven, I could dismantle a tank and kill a man, both with only my bare hands." He took a long, slow breath and glanced her way, again. "By the time I was Tana's age, I was leading dozens of men to their deaths on a daily basis."

While he'd spoken, Irini had frozen in her seat, horror and shock at his words pinning her in place and casting aside the bulk of her annoyance, which seemed petty, now. He'd never spoken of his time as a soldier to her or to her sister. She'd known about the accelerated-aging thing, but that, like his army days, was distant, like something out of a holo-film. Of the Wars themselves she'd heard snippets from her uncles and had pieced those together with the histories she'd learned at school, but she'd never heard any of _this_. Her eyes were hot, but all she could do was blink at him.

He gave her a half-smile that was a little sad, then reached for her hand and grasped it within his own, his larger one covering hers completely. "But do you know what happened when I was your age?"

Irini felt her head shake. Now she was riveted, not just by his words, but also by the secure press of his hand over hers; it was a warmth that surrounded her better than any sweater, and again she felt a flare of regret for her harsh words of a few minutes ago.

Dad smiled at her again, but it was a truer one than before. "I met _you_," he said, squeezing her hand gently. "I met your mother. And my life was never the same."

She didn't know what to say. "Dad-"

His eyes on her were filled with love even though his voice was measured. "Before you and your mother, I had very few things to live for. I had my brothers, of course. I had my duty, always. And it wasn't a bad life, no matter how horrible it may sound," he added, a knowing look in his eye as her cheeks grew warm. "But it was...a dream," he said after a moment, frowning to himself. "A waking dream. When you and your mom came into my life, I woke up."

Irini exhaled and looked down at their hands, at his own dusky skin that was a few shades darker than her own. Those weathered hands had always been there for her, offering support and guidance, even when she wanted none of it. He was indestructible, her dad; he was solid as any mountain. Like the mountains, he would always be there.

His words about his soldier days had caused most of her anger to flee, though something huge and sorrowful still pressed on her heart. He'd revealed a part of himself that she had not seen, but she still felt as if something larger had been taken away.

Because it was not within her to give in so easily, she sniffed back the tears that threatened to fall and looked up at him again. "You're not my real father."

He'd been almost smiling, and at the words his face fell a little, though it was only into a more thoughtful expression. "That's technically true," he said slowly. "I didn't impregnate your mother-"

"Eww..._gross, _Dad!" Irini made a gagging sound and tried to pull her hand away, but his grip was firm.

"-with you," he finished, and now she _knew _his half-smile was at _her _expense, even though his voice was still steady. "Only your sister. But _Iri'ka_," he said, turning to her fully and holding her eyes with his own. "I like to think that I've never given you a reason to doubt that I love you. Have I?"

His eyes were her eyes; she'd heard her uncles talk about distinguishing themselves during the Wars – she'd asked Uncle Jess about his awesome face-tattoo on more than one occasion – but she'd always taken no small amount of satisfaction that she, not Tana, looked more like their dad and the other clones. It had always been a reminder of the shared blood between them.

But now...well, any of them could be her dad, right? Blood was blood. It wasn't anything special.

It didn't make a family.

Irini blinked hard and shook her head. "No, you haven't. I guess."

"You guess?" He sounded faintly amused and she sighed.

"I know you love me, Dad," she said at last, taking a breath to stave off the tremble in her hands. He squeezed harder and she felt tears threaten her eyes again, so she hurried to say what she wanted to say before she stared crying like a _di'kut. _"I know you love me, but...now I just feel like I don't know _you. _I feellike Uncle Jess or Kix or Fives or _any _of them could be my dad. It's not-" She huffed and swiped at her eyes with the back of her free hand. "It's not special, anymore. You and me, I mean. Not like it was before you and Mom told me the truth."

Ugh. Now she _really_ felt like a baby, especially when fat, stupid tears started rolling down her cheeks, no matter how hard she worked to fight them back. There was a pause, then she felt her dad's hand lift from her own and she thought, _great, now I've really ticked him off, _but rather than turn away from her, she felt his arm curl around her shoulders and pull her close against his side, which was when she really got going.

Irini had no idea how long they sat there, on the side of the road, while she wept into her dad's shoulder. It was not gentle crying, like in the holos, where the tears would slip down the actors' faces but they still looked beautiful; this was pure sobbing, the kind that caused her breath to grow short and wracked her body with the force of it, the kind that wrung her dry from the inside out and made her feel like there was no light or goodness anywhere, even when the sun shone peacefully above their heads.

Through it all, her dad held her close.

At first he spoke softly to her, murmuring in Basic and Mando'a, though he never once told her to stop crying. He was simply there for her, as he had always been. After a few minutes he grew silent and embraced her completely, allowing her to soak his shirt with her tears; he stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head until finally, thank the Force, her tears ebbed and all that remained were those annoying little hiccups that followed an outburst of this kind.

She sat for a moment, collecting herself, then looked up at him even though she didn't know what she was supposed to say.

"I'm sorry, Daddy," she managed at last, her voice small and trembling.

He said nothing at first, only rubbed her shoulders and smoothed back the strands of her hair that had become stuck to the side of her face with her tears. When he did speak his voice was mostly kindness, tinged with notes of genuine curiosity. "Whatever are you sorry for, _Iri'ka_?"

Sniffing, she swiped at her eyes with the sleeve of her sweater, then hugged her arms to her sides and leaned into him again, sighing when he embraced her. "For saying that you...aren't my dad." She hiccuped again and inhaled, breathing in his scent and savoring how warm he was, how safe she'd always felt with his arm around her. "I was angry. I didn't mean it."

His arm tightened on her shoulders. "I know you didn't, Iri. But...apology accepted, anyway."

Nodding, Irini rubbed her face on the soft fabric of his shirt, trying to scrub away the last of her tears. "And I'm sorry for running away."

A quiet chuckle escaped him at this. "I wasn't going to let you get far, kiddo." He sighed, and his voice turned slightly wistful. "I know you'll leave one day, and I'm trying to prepare myself. But for right now, you're stuck with me."

"I'm okay with that," she hiccuped, smiling when she felt him drop another kiss against her forehead. "You're a pretty good dad."

"'Pretty good?'" he repeated, his voice round with mock-incredulity. "Are you calling me a slacker?"

Irini sat up and offered him another, broader smile, filling as much hope as she could into her expression; sure, he could say her name and get her to do what he wanted, but she had a few tricks up her sleeve, too. "Yep. You know, if you wanted to, you could let me drive the rest of the way to Nana's house. That might help."

For one long, long moment he said nothing; his face turned so solemn and she thought she may have gone too far. Finally he glanced around, as though Mom was about to materialize out of thin air and scold them both, then grinned at her in a rare moment of levity. "Sounds like a plan, kiddo."

* * *

_You know sometimes when everything just falls together and you're torn between wanting to cry and wanting to laugh? That was me writing this. I'd wanted to write Iri's POV for some time, in part because she's so central to Rex and Brenna's story, yet she has no voice, and in part because apparently I can relate waaay too closely to the mindset of a 13 year old girl. ;) _

_Yes, that is a mention of Cut Lawquane's son, Jek. He took quite a shine to Iri, it seems._

_Next time: Alderaan.  
_


	45. Epilogue Two

_"While Coruscant has always been considered the heart of the Republic, _

_to some extent, Alderaan has been its soul." _

~ from the Alderaan entry on Wookieepedia

* * *

**Worth Fighting For**

**Epilogue Two**

_Approximately 19 years after the formation of the Galactic Empire..._

It was late that night when Brenna caught the transmission.

Rex had gone to bed not long ago, having long since grown used to the fact that she would stay up for all hours, listening to the Imperials over her many carefully sliced comm-channels. Of course, he'd tried to get her to come to bed with him, as he always did, and it very nearly worked this night, but something kept her in her office chair, seated before her workstation. Listening.

At first, she wasn't sure what kept her here. She had a warm bed waiting for her, not to mention the man within it, and common-sense told her that it was best to just call it a night, maybe send the girls a brief message – just to see how they were doing off-world – and then slip to her and Rex's room. It was nice to have the house to themselves, these days. Sometimes it felt a little too quiet, but that was fine. Quiet was nice.

But she forgot all of that, because in the moment, just after she decided to shut everything down, she caught the riff of static that a minor bit of tweaking cleared into a series of words: _...planet's atmosphere ignited...Despayre...obliterated..._

Frowning, she adjusted the controls, but was unable to pick up anything more substantial than the few, cryptic words that still sent a chill through her entire body. She tried for another half-hour or so, then gave up when she couldn't stop yawning, thinking that it was probably best to just head to bed.

Rex was there, his arm sprawled across her side of the bed as if reaching for her in his sleep, and as she slid off her dressing gown she took a moment to appreciate how the passage of years had been kind to her husband. There were lines on his face, around his eyes and his mouth, but his hair was still close-cropped and fair, though she'd spent hours searching for a sign of gray that she never found; he was still broad and muscular, and she idly regretted that he appeared to be fast asleep.

She should have known better. The moment she slid into bed beside him, honey-brown eyes opened and he regarded her with a curious look, somehow managing to appear alert despite the fact that she was certain he'd been in deep sleep. "What is it?" he asked, his voice low in the darkness of their room. "Is everything okay?"

Brenna moved closer to him, inhaling his scent and feeling traces of stubble scrape across her cheek. "Just...it's odd."

"What did you hear?" He leaned up on his elbow, studying her.

"An Imperial transmission." She felt a shiver of apprehension and moved close to him again, pressing herself to the planes of his chest and savoring his warmth. "It sounded...strange. Not like the others I've caught."

His arm pulled her closer and she felt his breath against her ear. "Strange, how?"

With Tana gone off-world to university too, it was so quiet now. Outside of their window she could make out the moon, glowing like a silver coin against the black backdrop of sky, and though she couldn't see them, she knew the mountains were standing sentinel, all around. "It can't be what I think," she murmured to herself, shaking her head into his chest. "It's...it's impossible. It must be impossible."

"Bren-"

"A planet called 'Despayre' was destroyed," she said, tilting her head to look up at him.

Rex's entire body stilled and his eyes narrowed in thought. "An entire planet?" She nodded and leaned back into his chest, and sighed when his arm tightened around her again, though his voice was still thoughtful. "How?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "But the Imperials aren't prone to hyperbole. I think it's true."

She felt his slow nod of agreement, then he inhaled. "We can comm Ahsoka in the morning, see if she's heard anything. It's worth looking into, at the very least."

"Alright," she replied, feeling a little better for the moment, though the transmission still tugged at her mind. It was more than strange; it was beyond unsettling, but lying here, with her husband so close and warm, her nerves were starting to fade in the wake of other, more pleasant feelings, so she leaned up and kissed his jaw. "Rex?"

"Mmm?"

She smiled to herself and shifted her hips close to his, not-so-subtly getting his attention. They had the house to themselves, after all, and she thought she wanted to start making use of it, again. "Are you asleep?"

A strong hand tightened at her side and she exhaled as his fingertips slid beneath her shirt. When he spoke it was against her ear, making her shiver. "Not anymore."

* * *

_The next morning..._

Rex looked up from his breakfast as Bren entered the kitchen, a frown on her face as she studied her datapad. Recalling their conversation of the night before, he pressed back a faint swell of apprehension and sipped his caf, keeping his voice calm. "What's up?"

She stood beside him at the little table and tapped at the 'pad, as if in deep thought. "I found more information on Despayre," she said absently, her eyes taking on that distant look they did when she was mulling over some technical thing that he had no patience for. "There isn't much, but intelligence seems to think that it's tied with that new superweapon the Rebellion has been hearing rumors of. They even sent a few ships to check it out."

Something cold ran up his spine, and suddenly he was transported back to his army days, to the moments before a really terrible clanker fight. Rex had not been a soldier for a long time – for the majority of his life, now – but he thought that some things were too deeply ingrained to ever go away. "What'd they find?"

Bren met his eyes and he noted that the stronger traces of worry in her own. "I don't know. They never checked in."

Neither of them spoke for a moment, then he took a deep breath. "Did you comm Ahsoka?"

"First thing, but she hasn't gotten back to me," Brenna replied, reaching to pluck the mug of caf out of his hand and take a sip, though he had to smile at the way her nose wrinkled; she'd said countless times that he used far too much sugar, but it'd never stopped her from stealing a drink or two.

He shot her a mock-frown but she only smiled at him, and he thought – not for the first time – that she was still as beautiful to him as she'd always been. There were only a few threads of silver in her hair and the lines around her eyes and mouth were the kind that came from laughter; he saw all of it as evidence of a life happily lived.

_We're both young, yet,_ he thought with another exhale. _At least, it feels that way. _Almost twenty years together didn't feel very long, not really. Some days it felt like it'd passed in the blink of an eye.

It was a little quiet lately, with the girls gone, but he was so proud of his daughters and the lives they were leading. He knew Bren was proud, too. Sometimes, though, he felt like something was missing, or like _he_ was missing something, but he wasn't sure exactly what. He had an inkling, though, one that had grown stronger in recent years, when the Emperor's tight hold across the galaxy was starting to choke a little bit, and news of the brutality of the Imperials came up with more and more frequency.

But for all that it was waging in the galaxy around them, Rex had not been at war in a long time, and he was content with the life that he and his wife had built on Alderaan.

So he selected another bite of his nuna eggs but dropped them back on to the plate, his hunger having fled. Something was _wrong, _he knew it. Problem was, he just didn't know _what, _and therefore didn't know what he could do about it.

"Have you sent a message to Senator Organa?" he asked his wife as she moved to stand by the kitchen window.

"To tell him what?" she asked, her brow furrowing. "That I have a bad feeling about something?"

"You have more than a feeling," he pointed out, nodding to the datapad.

She looked back at him, her face illumined by the morning sunlight that was streaming through the window. "What if the rumors of the superweapon are true?" she whispered, her eyes distant even as they rested on him. "What if they use it against another world? What if-"

Rex slid his chair away from the table and went to her side; it was still strange sometimes, to know that they were alone in the house, now. However, while he missed his daughters, he was thankful to have this time alone with the woman he loved, so he pulled her close and savored the scent of her shampoo – she'd tried to change it several times over the years, but he'd always managed to convince her to switch back – and kissed her cheek.

"Let the senator know your findings, as you've always done," he said into her ear. "At the very worst he'll ignore you."

"I feel silly," she admitted, and when he felt her tremble, he knew that it wasn't from anything he was doing. "I feel like I'm worried for nothing."

Taking a breath, Rex held her a little closer, hoping to reassure her as much as himself. "You have good instincts," he said quietly. "We both do, and it's wise to trust them; if I learned nothing else from the Wars, it's that." He paused, thinking, than continued. "Contact Organa and tell him what you know. Let everyone know, for that matter, even if it turns out to be nothing. Comm the girls. Comm Ahsoka again. Comm Fives and Mar, too. I'll speak to the others, at Caith and Ed's place. We'll give everyone a heads-up, and if we look foolish, then at least we'll look foolish together."

Nodding, she leaned into him and placed her hands over his arms, and they both looked out the window for a few moments. He had to get going, of course, as he had hoped to get one of the yearlings halter-broken today, but something urged him to wait, to savor each moment he had with Bren, so he did.

When she spoke again, her voice was soft. "I don't think it's nothing."

"No," he agreed after a moment, his eyes falling on the mountains outside their kitchen window. "I don't think it's nothing, either."

* * *

Brenna was thankful that Rex didn't go to the ranch, that day. Actually, he seemed to want only to be as close to her as possible, so after she sent her transmissions they'd retired back to their bed, where they'd spent some time before moving to the shower. They lingered there, and she forgot to be worried for a little while.

Now, though, freshly cleaned and hungry again, they slipped downstairs and he began to gather something for them to eat while she checked her comlink for messages. There were three.

The first was from Azure, where Iri and Jek were spending a rotation with one of the artistic enclaves that had settled there; Iri was fine, her boyfriend was fine, she sent her love and thanked Mom for the information.

The second was from Corellia. Tana was doing well in her studies, too busy to write much, really, but she'd also thanked Mom for the news, and sent her love to them both.

The third was from Bail's secretary, and read very much like the ones from her daughters, minus the declarations of love. The senator was busy, but thanked her for her interest in ensuring that the people of Alderaan shared in a brighter tomorrow. It was a common-enough response, one she'd received before, but somehow, it unsettled her more than it ever had.

Brenna sighed and set the comlink back on the table, rubbing at her forehead as Rex approached, offering her half of a sandwich, which she accepted. "The girls are fine," she said as he slid into the seat across from her. "They send their love."

"Good," he replied, picking up his half of the sandwich, though he didn't bite. Instead, he looked at her in that way that made her think he was reading her mind. "What's wrong?"

She toyed with the comlink, then drummed her nails across the table. "Bail replied, too," she said slowly. "The standard response he sends when he knows whatever I'm telling him, but doesn't think he can do anything about it."

Rex set his food down and studied her. "He replied in the code you two worked out?" She nodded and he leaned back in his chair, and it was proof of her nerves that she couldn't even take the time to appreciate the stretch of muscles across his bare chest. "What do you want to do?"

"I have no idea," she said, twiddling with the hem of her thin shirt. "But I hate sitting here, waiting. Rex, what if that...weapon goes to Corellia? Azure's probably safe, but you never know...they could want to test it out. But the Corellians have always been rebellious, and-"

She was silenced by the warmth of his hand over hers; when he squeezed, she felt the silver of his wedding band press to her skin. "Bren-"

Before he could say anything else, her comlink began buzzing angrily against the kitchen table, so she grabbed and activated it with her free hand, not bothering to look at the incoming, voice-only signal. "Yes?"

It was Ahsoka, and Brenna knew then that something really horrible was going to happen; the Togruta _never _called them any more, having grown too entrenched in the Rebellion. She would send and receive occasional messages under a pseudonym, but Brenna could not recall the last time she'd actually spoken to Ahsoka.

"_Bren, you have to do exactly what I say, without hesitation," _the Jedi said in a low, quick voice. _"This is going to sound crazy, but you have to leave Alderaan right now."_

Rex had sat up at the sound of his old friend's voice, and his eyes were narrow. "What...?"

"_I'm sending Fives and Marliss to pick you and the others up,"_ Ahsoka continued, her words rushed. _"They should be there within a few hours, so you have a little time to get what you need. Don't ask questions, don't take too long packing. I'll see you as soon as I can."_

Fear clutched at her belly, and Brenna exchanged a startled look at her husband, who then frowned back at the comlink. "Kid-"

"_That's an _order_, Rexter,"_ the Togruta snapped, as if fear had caused her to revert back to her days as Commander to her Captain. There was also an urgency to her tone that Brenna had never heard before, and it caused the worry within her to increase to a thrumming dread. _"Please do this,"_ Ahsoka added after a moment, her voice softening but loosing none of its urgency._ "There's no time to explain, but you have to trust me."_

Of course they did. After exchanging another look, Brenna watched her husband take a deep, deliberate breath, then he nodded once. "Okay, kid," he said, still refraining from using her real name. "We'll do as you say."

The link died.

* * *

The funny thing about time is that its passage is entirely subjective.

There are occasions, usually happy ones, when it passes with the speed of a shooting star, illuminating one's life for a moment, an instant, a heartbeat, before it is gone, _poof. _No more, never again. Time passes and leaves only memories in its wake.

Then there are those occasions that linger like an unwelcome house-guest or the taste of something unpleasant. Each moment stretches into a dozen more, getting exponentially longer and longer until you think you will break under the weight of them building upon you.

The destruction of Alderaan is, unsurprisingly, the latter, though it contains elements of both.

It begins with stillness, the shared gaze of two people who know each other better then themselves and who know that something terrible is going to happen; it grows into a flurry of packing, of tossing physical things into suitcases and bags in the hopes that the memories those things contain will follow them off-world. Neither Rex nor Brenna want to think they might never return here, but the possibility has grown too large to look away from now, and they are each too practical to dwell in optimism.

Caith calls, worried, because he's gotten word from Fives...something about them all having to leave, right now? Her brother is skeptical but Brenna calmly tells him yes, they're all leaving that very afternoon, and there's no time to waste. Their mother, Jensine, has been dead for a few years now, and as she talks to her brother, Brenna is secretly glad that her mother is not alive for this moment, because she would have been too stubborn to leave, anyway. Thankfully, Caith listens to her and they end the conversation with the promise that they will see each other, soon.

Rex calls his own brothers, ensuring that they got the message, too. Chopper has; he and his wife are preparing to leave, and he knows Coric is doing the same. Working with the Rebellion, Jess and Kix are not on Alderaan any longer, and Rex feels relief that he is not responsible for them right now, too. While Brenna gathers the more practical things they'll need for...well, we'll call it the immediate future, Rex tears through the girls' rooms, grabbing what he thinks they'd miss the most if it were gone. However, he doesn't allow himself to spend much time doing so, because each second that ticks by seems to echo through his body and he's all too aware of the fact that time, seeming to have once stretched out before him like a beckoning lover, is slipping through his fingertips.

The pace quickens.

Belongings in tow, Brenna and Rex slip out of their house and hurry for the speeder; Rex is thankful when it hums to life without incident, as it's been acting up lately – the repulsor coil going bad, he thinks – and within moments they are heading to the ranch.

Brenna thinks perhaps she should look behind her at their little blue house, the place where they spent so many happy years, but there is a lump in her throat and a knot in her gut, and all she can do is concentrate on each breath and try to remain calm. Thoughts skim through her brain, too fast to keep track of. The girls are safe, for now. She wants to comm them both, but they need to get off world, first. She tries to call Bail several times, but her transmission is always kicked back and she's reminded of that night, years and years ago, when the whole galaxy was set on fire and the Empire rose from the ashes.

As if sensing her distress, (not that it would be difficult at a time like this), Rex takes her hand in his own, and she is able to relax a little bit with the press of his skin to hers. _Together. _

They reach the ranch in record time. There are no embraces or tears; everyone's mouths are thin lines and only the most necessary words are exchanged. Tavi has long since left Alderaan, but Caith and Edme have more items to try and save, so Brenna goes to help them, thankful that she has all of the family pictures stored electronically, at least. Small mercies.

Rex goes to the paddock, where his beloved quagga collect around him, nudging his shoulder and lipping his jacket in search of treats that aren't there. He murmurs to them, tells them how good they are and how much he will miss them, and he almost thinks that he shouldn't have even come here, that this is silly and he's being overly sentimental, but in truth it's easier to say goodbye to the quagga than to his home.

Deep down, he knows that he will never see them again and that there is nothing he can do for any of them now. His attention shifts when he hears Chopper, Coric and their families arrive, and he turns away without looking back.

Because, like an incoming blaster-bolt, the pace increases.

A ship, there! Fives and Marliss, at last. Everyone is ready? Not really, but they nod to one another and shift their bags and lift their chins, feeling foolish and selfish all at once, because it's so silly, isn't it? It's Alderaan. The soul of the galaxy. Like the mountains, Alderaan will always be here.

Brenna feels her husband's hand on her waist as he guides her up the loading ramp, and she takes a deep breath and wishes there was more time, because she has friends and neighbors and acquaintances, people who she knew she should call but there is just no time, and she wonders if this is the kind of regret that she will never be able to forget. She wonders if this memory will remain or if it will become lost in the shuffle of time.

The _Shereshoy _– not the original, but Marliss always liked the name, so she made Fives keep it – is small, cramped with people and belongings, but it lifts off from the world as if nothing is holding it down, and once they are safely in hyperspace Rex breathes a sigh of relief and embraces his wife. According to Five and Marliss, Ahsoka has promised to meet them at Derra IV, though they have no more information other than that. Hours of talk and speculation pass, and in the wake of no new news, the energy within the ship becomes too nervous to bear, and although no one will acknowledge it, they all wonder if they made the right choice.

Where it has been relentless, the pace of events slows here. Time meanders. Sleep comes to some, but in the darkness of one of the little cabins, Rex and Brenna are able to do little more than lie beside one another and listen to the sound of shared breathing. A dozen times during the night she thinks to comm their daughters, but doesn't want to worry them needlessly. A dozen times during the night he opens his mouth to reassure his wife, but thinks it would be futile.

Instead, they hold each other close enough to feel the heartbeat of the one they love.

When time stops, when the world ends, they are together.

* * *

_Approximately one week later..._

Though he'd never met the kid, Rex decided to take it as a good omen that the one who'd destroyed the superweapon was called "Skywalker."

Yavin was a long way away from Derra IV, but the news had spread like proverbial wildfire, bringing with it an abundance of options. Of the ones that had been set before himself and Brenna, he thought that they were making the right choice, now.

The hangar surrounding them was bustling with people; he could see Fives, Marliss and a few other folks speaking to Ahsoka and Bonteri between a few starfighters. It had been many years since Rex had found himself in a place like this, and he found that he was torn between apprehension and excitement. It was not because of the acrid scent of engine grease or the buzz of a rotary drill as someone made a repair on one of the ships; it was not because of the chatter of the people or the collective feeling of _yes, we are on the right side. _

It was because of the knowledge that his and Brenna's lives would never be the same.

Excitement buzzed in the air, because everyone else was starting over, too. By all accounts it would be a long haul, but Rex thought that he was ready to fight again. Chopper, Coric, Caith and Edme were making plans of their own, and Rex trusted them to land on their feet; they were all survivors, after all. He'd heard from Jess; his tattooed brother was heading for Derra IV to help acclimate him and Bren to their new roles.

It had not been too difficult to keep himself and Brenna too busy to think about their home during the past week, but he knew that the grief would catch up with them, soon. He hoped, though, that they'd have a plan in place when it did, something that they could build upon in the wake of so much destruction.

As his wife ended the three-way holo-transmission between themselves and their daughters, he put his arm around her shoulders and kissed her forehead.

"They're worried for us," she said, her eyes closing at his touch. "Neither one said it outright, but I could tell."

He allowed himself a faint smile. "We're not going to be leading attacks or anything," he pointed out. "I'll be doing some training, you'll be doing some slicing and long-range security work. Pretty similar to how it was...before."

She exhaled and nodded, then looked up at him. There was much that could be said, much that would be said, he knew, in the days to come, but for now she only murmured: "I'm nervous, too."

"So am I," he replied, leaning his head against hers because he could never be close enough to her. "But the girls are safe, and we have each other."

Brenna nodded again, then embraced him, wrapping her arm around his waist and pressing her head to his.

"I love you," she said, the words reaching him beneath the clang of someone dropping a hydrospanner and the chatter of the other rebels.

There was so much to do. Already his blood was racing a little in anticipation, for all that his mind was still thinking it all through. But he was able to push his worry for the future aside for one more moment as he kissed his wife's forehead. _Together. _"I love you, too."

In truth, Rex still wasn't completely sure if he was ready to start over, but he was starting to lean towards _yes._

* * *

_Earlier drafts of this story had Rex and Bren perishing on Alderaan, but I chose to go another way. Twenty years together isn't that much in the grand scheme of things, and I really, _really_ wanted a HEA for them both. I also wanted to show that Rex isn't quite done with fighting for a good cause, even if he's not on the front lines, blasting Imps. ;) I wanted him to have the best of both worlds. _

_Alderaan wound up being a character in its own right, though a voiceless one. How can one truly describe the destruction of a planet? I struggled with that question for a long time. In the end, I went with something a little different than normal – third-person omniscient POV, present tense – and I'm rather pleased with the outcome. _

_This marks the true ending of _Worth Fighting For_. Thank you again, thank you a thousand times over, for coming on this journey with me._

_~Lauren_


End file.
